


Random Musings

by cjgw



Category: Divergent - All Media Types, Divergent Series - Veronica Roth
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-09-30
Updated: 2018-05-02
Packaged: 2018-08-18 14:54:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 30
Words: 44,150
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8165836
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cjgw/pseuds/cjgw
Summary: A series of scenes that may one day grow into stories themselves or will just sit around gathering dust. Some have actual plots, others are just scenes. Many of them were already posted to my Tumblr page and on Fanfiction.net. Each chapter will have the rating in the title. These are unedited by a beta editor so please, be kind.





	1. Four Takes Leadership (T)

**Author's Note:**

> This was just a scene that came to me as I wondered what Divergent would have been like if Four had actually taken a leadership position. There's not much more to the plot than that!

xXx

I walk down the dark, cold hallway towards the Leadership office. People hustle past me but I barely notice them. There's a buzz in the air these couple of weeks before Choosing Day. Dauntless is usually bustling with activity but this anticipation is different. Parents are nervous, hiding it behind the certainty that this life, this faction, is the best, the only way to live in the city. Teenagers are anxious, wondering about the test, what it will tell them about who they are. The Leaders are huddling together, planning for the new initiate class. Although I'm not a Leader, I've been asked. Initially, I turned Max down when he approached me but he told me to think it over. I have until Choosing Day to make up my mind. Again, another choice that will determine my future. It seems to be a pattern.

I pause briefly before the door to the Leadership office. I'm not fully sure why I was asked to be a part of the training planning but I think it is Max's way of hoping I'll change my mind about becoming a Leader. I open the door and survey the room. Max looks up and smiles. He's pleased I've come. The other leaders, Opal, Michael and Paul also smile and nod. The only one who isn't happy is Eric. He's frowning slightly so I smirk at him. As expected, his frown deepens and I'm filled with satisfaction. Needling Eric is one of the few joys in my life and has been since we were initiates.

"Okay, everybody, let's get started." Max announces. We sit and Max begins discussing the training. It is all familiar, weapons, hand to hand, strength training. Who will oversee what? I barely listen until Eric makes his suggestion.

"I think we should up the competition between the initiates. Heighten the tension. Make them work harder for it."

I sit up straight when I realize Max is intrigued. "What would you suggest?"

Eric looks pleased at Max's interest. Figures; he lobbied hard for the leadership position when I didn't immediately take it after initiation and has been trying to prove he was the right choice ever since. "Those lowest ranked should become Factionless. This will encourage the initiates to do their best. It will force them to work as hard as they can. The Choosing Ceremony tells us nothing about their ability. It isn't enough to choose us. They have to be brave enough to fight to the death."

Opal is frowning. "We already have those mini-tests. Getting on the train, getting off, jumping into Dauntless. If they can't do that, they'll know right away this isn't the life for them."

"It isn't enough." Eric argues. "We are responsible for every life in this city. Our people have to be the best, the strongest, the bravest. We have to be willing to hold the line in case anything happens." He looks at each of us and I do the same. Max and Michael look convinced. Paul and Opal less so but willing to listen. Eric continues. "We should also eliminate as we go along. Make hand to hand a real competition. Have them fight until one physically can't do it anymore."

"Wait a minute." Paul holds up a hand. "We'll end up with initiates in the injury ward all the time. Initiation will last forever." He runs the infirmary and I can see why he'd hate that. He rarely has enough help so a lot either falls on him or he has to send people over to the hospital run by Erudite.

"No it won't." Eric continues smoothly. "If the initiate keeps losing, they will drop in the ranks, eventually become factionless. If they aren't strong enough to win here, how can they protect us out there?"

Paul shrugs and I can see he won't rock the boat. So I will. "This will never work." I say quietly.

Eric stares daggers at me. "Why?" Max asks.

I shrug, trying to appear as nonchalant as possible. There has been something brewing here in Dauntless over the last few months and Eric's at the center of it. I've noticed more and more Erudite here, meeting with Max. And Eric. Considering Eric is a transfer, from Erudite, I just don't trust it.

"It is our responsibility to keep order among the factionless. We're just putting more angry, disgruntled people out there for us to manage. Plus, they won't be initiates forever. Those that make it will be Dauntless. They will need to trust one another. Having them compete against each other will make it so much harder for them to work together after this is over. They'll always be looking to plunge a knife in their fellow faction member's back. If we create disorder here, how can we keep order out there?"

Eric's face is flushed. He's clearly angry. "We need these transfers to be tough."

My eyes meet his. "Our transfer class didn't seem to have any problem. We even made it to the top of our class." He practically growls. He hates being reminded that we are both transfers. And that I was first in our class. This time, I'm the one with the smirk. Eric visibly takes a deep breath as he realizes all eyes are on him.

"I don't think we should foster weakness." He says. "We are soldiers. We need them to be willing to march into fire, if necessary."

"We also need them to be smart," I snap back. "Erudite doesn't have the lock on brains." Eric's eyes narrow as I continue. "These initiates need to be able to handle what happens on the street. We can't beat the hell out of everyone."

Max gauges the look on all of our faces. "Let's reconvene tomorrow." He suggests. "I think we need to consider everything. We still have a couple of days."

xXx

I stand with Zeke and Shauna in the Pit, passing around a brown bottle of Old Jim's best. "I just don't see how this is possibly a good idea." I scowl and take a pull from the bottle. It burns like the fires of hell down my throat, warming my chest, and, quite possibly, eating my stomach from the inside. As soon as I'd met up with them, I'd blurted out Eric's whole plan.

Shauna drinks and passes the bottle to Zeke. "Like we haven't known since initiation that Eric's an ass." She said bluntly. For Eric and Shauna, it was hate at first sight.

Zeke drank and sways slightly. He tried to focus on me, squinting one eye. I wonder, not for the first time, what in the hell Old Jim puts in his white liquor. Then again, I've often wondered, usually the day after, why the hell we keep drinking the stuff.

"So why don't you do something about it?" Zeke asks, pronouncing his words carefully, a sure sign that he's drunk.

I frown at him as he passes Shauna the bottle. "What do you mean me?"

"You're the one they asked to be Leader." He leans slightly on Shauna, reaching for the bottle. She holds it away from him, turning her head to drink. She hands it to me.

"He's got a point, Four." She said. "There's no reason for you to turn it down. You were top in our initiate class. Amar wanted you for leadership and so does Max. If you want to keep Eric in check, you should become a leader yourself."

Maybe they are right. Maybe I've been thinking about this Leader thing the wrong way. I've been thinking of how I can avoid facing Marcus. How I can avoid dealing with my own few fears. But maybe that's wrong. Maybe I should think about the good I can do. I was Abnegation, now I'm Dauntless. I may have chosen this for the wrong reasons but I've fit into this life. I've been good at this life. Maybe by being selfless, I can begin to be brave. Maybe then I can reconcile those pieces of myself that never quite fit together.

I thrust the bottle at Zeke, who grabs it and downs the last of it as I turn. "Hey, where're you going?" He slurs.

I grin at them over my shoulder. "To see Max."

xXx

At first, all I register is a gray blur. I reach out a hand and grasp hers, small, warm, delicate. I pull her across the net and help her down. Wisps of blonde hair frame her face and her big, gray eyes meet mine, glittering like diamonds. I think I lose my breath for a moment. She's not classically pretty but in that moment only one word comes to mind. Beautiful.


	2. Until We Meet Again (T)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll be honest, there's only a vague storyline to go along with this. I imagine Tris and Tobias having been neighbors as children until his parents' divorce and they lost touch. Tris becomes a famous singer, pursuing her dead mother's dream for her. After collapsing from exhaustion, Andrew arranges for her to stay at a house in the Virginia mountains, hiring Tobias to cook for her but also to keep an eye on her. They fall in love but Tris goes back on the road. I'm a complete romantic so, of course, they eventually come back together. Maybe I'll get back to this one day but I've got another similar idea so this may be abandoned in favor of that one. Who knows!

xXx

"Tobias, there's a client in your office."

Tobias looked up from his sauce, a deep scowl on his face. "Can't you handle it, Zeke? I'm in the middle of something."

Zeke shrugged. "I tried. She insisted on talking to you and only you."

Tobias groaned. This was the downside to the notoriety he'd received after his relationship with Tris. "All right." He handed the wooden spoon to Shauna. "Keep stirring this. Be careful it doesn't break." Shauna nodded and took over stirring.

Tobias pulled off his waist apron and unbuttoned his chef's coat. He sighed, trying to stifle his annoyance at being interrupted while perfecting his beef burgundy cream sauce. It happened sometimes that a client would insist on meeting with him and him alone. When Tris had credited her return to the stage to Tobias in an interview with Vanity Fair, the paparazzi had descended, wanting to know more about the mysterious man who'd spent a couple of months with the famous singer. He hadn't granted any interviews but that hadn't stopped the gossip rags. On the up side, it had given him the promotional boost he'd needed when he opened his restaurant a month ago. Tobias knew that some people came into his restaurant out of sheer curiosity - could Tris Prior's boy toy really cook? - but he also knew they would keep coming back because his food was good. The first reviews of his restaurant had just been published and the critics were raving.

He plastered a smile on his face and opened the door to his office. The petite blonde stood when she heard the door and turned to him. Tobias froze, his hand on the door knob. He opened his mouth but nothing came out. The blonde smiled at him. "Hello, Tobias."

"Tris." He said quietly.

xXx

Nine Months Ago…

The first thing Tris saw when she opened her eyes was the bright sunshine. The drapes hadn't been fully closed so she could see the evergreen tree outside her window, it's dark green needles sprinkled lightly with powdery white snow. She smiled at the peaceful little slice of nature, luxuriating in the soft bed. She stretched then froze. There shouldn't be a peaceful little slice of nature outside her window. Her hotel room overlooked the stately architecture of Washington, DC. Tris took a deep breath as the snatches of the last 48 hours slowly came back to her. The lightheaded feeling she'd gotten when she stood; black clouds drifting over her eyes; waking, finally, to the steady beep of a heart monitor in the emergency room, her father pacing outside of her hospital room, angrily talking into his cell phone.

Flopping back into the fluffy pillows, she groaned. The gossip sites were going to go nuts over the news of her collapse backstage. Rumors of a nervous breakdown had dogged her heels since the beginning of the tour and being rushed to the hospital, unconscious, was only going to fuel those rumors. She wasn't depressed, Tris thought grumpily. What she was, was exhausted. She'd been on tour for the better part of a year, after putting out back to back albums, plus writing and singing the theme to an Oscar nominated film. Add to that the stress of her on again/off again relationship with her manager, and Tris' body had finally reached its limit.

Pushing the warm blanket off her legs, Tris decided she couldn't hide away from the world all day. She swung her legs out of bed and stood carefully. There was no dizziness, no black clouds threatening to overwhelm her. Pleased, she slowly walked into the bathroom. There was a silky gray robe, a match to the pajamas she wore, hanging on the hook behind the door. She pulled it on and wandered down the hallway. She could faintly hear noises from the rooms in front of her and caught the scent of coffee. She followed the scent to the kitchen and stopped short when she saw the man deftly chopping vegetables. It wasn't her father, as she'd expected.

He looked up at her and smiled faintly. "So, you're awake." He said. Tris just nodded dumbly. He was incredibly handsome, with chiseled features, a hooked nose and the most striking dark blue eyes. He gestured with his head. "Take a seat. Your dad asked me to look out for you."

Tris slid onto one of the stools at the counter. There was something familiar about him but she couldn't place it. As he turned to pour her a mug of coffee, she studied him. He was tall, well over six feet, with wavy dark hair and golden skin. She admired the smooth muscles of his back as he turned to her, placing the white mug in front of her.

"Thanks," She murmured as he reached for a small pitcher of milk and put it in front of her.

"Breakfast will be ready in just a minute." He sliced a pat of butter and dropped it into a sizzling skillet.

Tris doctored her coffee with milk and sugar and watched in fascination as the man dumped red onions, garlic, red and green peppers and mushrooms into the skillet. He sautéed them with easy efficiency before reaching for a bowl next to the stove. With a few deft movements of his wrist, he beat eggs and poured them into the skillet over the cooking vegetables.

Taking a sip of her coffee, Tris cleared her throat. "So, where's my dad?"

Without turning around, he sprinkled cheese on the eggs and carefully folded one side over it. "In Washington getting the rest of your stuff."

"Oh." She stared into the creamy brown liquid, hoping for something to say. She knew him, she knew she did, she could see recognition in those incredible blue eyes of his. She'd been so lost in thought that she jumped slightly when a plate was placed in front of her. Her eyes snapped up and she stared at him.

"You need to eat, Tris." The familiar man said gently.

"I'm fine."

He snorted and turned to pour a mug of coffee for himself. "If that were true, you wouldn't be here."

Tris flushed a little at the reminder. He clearly knew what had happened so she had to assume it was common knowledge. She sighed and stared at his back. Something about his voice stirred her memory.

He turned back to her and stared at her, leaning on the counter opposite her. "You don't remember me." Amusement tinged his voice as he sipped.

She poked at the omelet with her fork. "It'll come to me." She mumbled, embarrassed. He laughed and Tris' head snapped up. His laugh jogged something loose in her mind. "T – Tobias? Tobias Eaton?" She whispered tentatively.

Tobias toasted her with his mug. "Hello, Tris," he laughed. "It's been a long time."


	3. The Kayak Trip (M)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I suck at angst, I think we all know that. So, to challenge myself, I tried to write something a little less happy. It didn't quite work which is why this sat unfinished. Inopinion gave me the idea for the setting...

xXx

Tobias wondered why in the hell he agreed to go kayaking. Well, he supposed, it was better than bungee jumping, which was Uriah's first suggestion. There was no fucking way Tobias was doing that shit. Tobias pushed his sunglasses up his nose and sighed as he leaned back against his jeep. He didn't particularly want to go but he'd been so busy with his job for the Senator, he'd been neglecting his honorary little brother and he felt guilty.

Then the other reason for going pulled up. Tris Prior climbed out of the car, laughing. Her honey blonde hair was pulled up in a ponytail that bounced merrily as she pulled her small backpack out of the back. When she stood and turned around, she spotted him. She gave him a flirty smile.

And that was why he was going, he thought. He would not miss any opportunity to spend time with her. As he watched her hug Uriah and Marlene, he felt himself sighing. He was in love with her. He knew it. But she was only having fun with him. This was supposed to be easy, casual, just friends with benefits. The more time he spent with her, however, the more he interested he was.

And the sex was spectacular.

Things were going to come to a head soon. He just wasn't sure how much longer he could go without telling her how he felt, which he knew would be a disaster of epic proportions. The previous night, not long after they finished making love, he'd casually mentioned she should stay the night and they could carpool to the river together. She'd gotten nervous, told staying was too much, and had left. Staying the night, or anything remotely resembling commitment, had been strictly forbidden by her but Tobias was finding it harder and harder to keep to her rule. He'd slipped up more than once recently but the previous night was the first time she'd bailed like that. And now, he didn't know where they stood.

"Hey what's with the long face?" Zeke asked, clapping him on the shoulder. Luckily, Tobias' sunglasses covered his face so Zeke couldn't tell where he was looking. He turned to Zeke and pasted on a scowl.

"Why do I let your brother talk me into these ridiculous things?" He asked.

Zeke laughed heartily and Tobias figured he'd successfully distracted him. "Because you have too high a guilt quotient."

Tobias had to chuckle. "I guess you have a point." He looked at his best friend who was dressed in his park ranger uniform and curved his lips into a smirk. "So, Ranger Rick, are you sorry you're missing out on this?"

"Kiss ass." Zeke said. "At least you'll have a good day for this." He said, looking up at the crystal blue sky. He shielded his eyes as the van pulled up which would take them up the river to where they'd start their excursion.

Tris watched Tobias and Zeke walk over to the van and shake hands with the tour guides. She'd hurt him last night and she knew it. But their relationship had taken a turn she didn't expect. There was so much more to Tobias than the good looks that had originally attracted her to him. Something she hadn't expected. They needed to pull back. Re-evaluate. It wasn't that Tris didn't want to be with him, she just wasn't she was ready for all this.

Her best friend and roommate, Christina, hobbled over to her. "Wish I could go with you." She grimaced, looking down at her walking cast. She'd been the unfortunate person at the bottom of an escalator when a kid in a rush to make the train had knocked over three people.

Tris slung her arm around Christina. "It sucks that you can't." She said honestly.

Christina looked over at her shrewdly. "You just want a buffer so you don't have to talk to Tobias. Look at it this way, you won't have to talk to him in the boat."

Tris wanted to object but she'd ended up confiding in Christina last night so there was really no place for Tris to hide. "I don't know what to say to him."

Christina sighed. She thought Tris and Tobias could work as a couple eventually but for now, Tris was just going to hurt him. Frankly, the whole thing surprised her a little. She would not have pegged Tris for a friends with benefits sort of thing but she'd jumped in full throttle with Tobias. Unfortunately, for Tris, Tobias had turned out to be exactly the kind of guy she wanted. "Look, just be honest. You and he have changed the rules and now you're backing out. Re-iterate that you just want to have sex. If he can't keep to that, you walk. Boom. Problem solved." She stared at her best friend. "Unless you want more."

Tris shrugged. "I don't know what I want." She said quietly.

Christina shrugged back. "Grow a pair, Tris. You aren't being fair to him otherwise."

Tris sighed and nodded. She knew Christina was right but something was holder her back from Tobias. She watched as he helped pull the boats down and get them into the water. At least they wouldn't have to talk while they rowed. She could worry about everything else later.

xXx

Tobias hit small waterfall and just as the kayak began tilting downward, he felt it catch on something. Before he could figure out what it was, the kayak began tipping and water closed over his head. He was momentarily disoriented and he kicked out, hoping to make it to the surface. His shin connected with something hard and pain radiated up his leg as it dragged against something ragged. He swallowed a little bit of water but then broke the surface of the river, sputtering. He saw the paddle floating near him and grabbed it to keep it from going further downriver. Luckily, the kayak was bobbing nearby. He swam over to it, grateful that beneath the small waterfall, the water was relatively calm. He towed the kayak over to a nearby rock. Perching on the rock, he ran his hand over his face, wiping the water off of it as best he could. He flipped the kayak over and carefully got back into it.

Pushing off, he rowed swiftly until he'd caught up with the rest of his friends. He realized he'd lost his sunglasses and sighed. At least they were cheap.

"Hey, man, you okay?" Uriah called.

"Yeah, fine!" Tobias called back, lifting his hand in a wave. His leg stung like a bitch and Tobias was glad the ride was almost over.

About 15 minutes later, each boat pulled up to the dock. Tobias carefully made his way out of the kayak, gratefully handing the paddle to the overenthusiastic boating company employee. He looked down and saw that he'd scraped the hell out of his shin. It wasn't bleeding anymore but skin was reddened and ragged. He sighed. With his luck, he'd pick up some rare bacteria that lived only in this part of the Potomac River and he'd end up with gangrene or some shit.

Uriah came over and clamped a hand on his shoulder. "Seriously, you okay?"

Tobias forced himself to smile. "Sure. I must've got caught on a rock under the wave. Bad part about it is I swallowed some river water."

Uriah laughed. "Shit, man I'm surprised you aren't glowing green! Come one, Christina brought beer. We gotta kill those germs with alcohol."

Tobias actually laughed. "Let me go change. I can't sit here in these wet clothes." He limped off towards his jeep, grateful he'd remembered to throw an extra change of clothes and a towel in the back. He didn't notice Tris' eyes on him as he walked away.

He was glad he'd parked the jeep with the back towards the trees. With the back door open, he'd be able to change in relative privacy. He unbuttoned the side pocket of his khaki shorts and fished out his keys. Opening the trunk, he grabbed the towel and ran it over his face and hair. The day was turning out pretty disappointing and he contemplated just saying the hell with it and going home. He decided against it, figuring it was be really obvious that something was wrong. He could handle a couple of sandwiches and a beer.

He stripped off his shorts and shirt, wringing each of them out ruefully. Even his boxers were wet. He sighed and dried himself off. A footfall sounded behind him and looked up to see Tris coming towards him, a white box in her hand. Tobias stifled another sigh as he looked at her, not in the mood to deal with any more negativity.

"I brought a first aid kit." She said quietly.

"I'm good, Tris." He said, tossing the towel in the trunk and turning his back to her. He felt her hand on his back and he tried not to shudder.

"Come on, Tobias. Let me help."

He bit back a sarcastic comment and just shrugged. "Really, I'm good." Glancing over his shoulder, he said, "Look, I've got to put on some clothes."

She rolled her eyes. "I saw more last night." She taunted. Their eyes met and clashed. He recognized the stubborn tilt of her chin and the glint in her gray eyes. She wasn't going to bend.

"Fine." He grumped and sat on the edge of the car. It was easier to just let her play nurse then she'd leave him alone. Around the others, he could just pretend she wasn't there until he could make a plausible escape.

She bent in front of him and opened the first aid kit. She frowned and she pulled out an antiseptic wipe. "You banged this up pretty good." He was silent and Tris tried not to sigh. "It's gonna bruise." She said. Again he was silent. She dabbed the antiseptic wipe over the long scrapes. Tobias sucked in a breath as it stung.

"I'm sorry, Tobias." She said quietly.

He knew she wasn't talking about his shin but he didn't want her to be sorry. Tris wasn't in love and he was. There wasn't anything either of them could do about that. "It's okay, Tris." She looked up at him through her lashes in disbelief. "Seriously, it's okay. I know you just wanted casual so if you want to stop, I get it."

She dropped the wipe on the ground and put her hands on his thighs. "I don't want to stop, Tobias." Running her hand up and down his thigh, she stared at him. "What about you?"

"Neither do I." He heard himself say. She stood and leaned into him so he could wrap his arms around her waist and hold her tightly to him. Tris pulled back, staring into his sapphire blue eyes as he smiled at her a little, leaning forward to brush his lips across hers. "We're okay." He was lying but he didn't want to give her up just yet. He knew he was going to crash and burn eventually but with her body pressed against his, his breath mixing with hers, he just couldn't bring himself to care.

Tris smiled a little against his lips, his half naked body stirring all manner of wicked thoughts in her head. "You've had a hard day." She said, reaching for his boxers. This was the only part of her feelings about Tobias that weren't confusing. She wanted him, completely, and for now, that was all she needed to know.

"Tris, what…"

"Shh." She urged him to raise his hips, which he did in spite of himself. She ran her hands across him, loving the way he lengthened and thickened under her ministrations.

His eyes drifted closed and he stifled a groan. He felt himself start to lean back but then sat up straight.  
"We can't do this here."

Tris knelt down in front of him, a wicked smile on her lips. Watching him, she leaned forward and licked his tip. He drew in a breath and Tris smirked. She ran her tongue around him again, teasing.

"Jesus!" He gasped.

She winked at him and took him in her mouth. Tobias could barely breathe feeling her warm, wet mouth enveloping him. She wrapped her fist around his base, unable to take all of him in her mouth at once. She set up a rhythm, moving her hand up and down in time with her mouth. His hips began moving in time with her movements and he desperately tried to keep quiet. The others weren't terribly far away and Tobias had no desire to make enough noise to draw anyone's attention. He bit his lip so hard he was afraid he was going to bite clear through it. When she tightened her mouth around him, her tongue tickling his underside, he grabbed her shoulders and wrenched her away.

She looked at him, her eyes flashing with smug pride. She loved that she could unravel him faster than anyone she'd ever known. "Condom?" She asked.

"Wallet." He groped behind him for his khaki shorts and fumbled, pulling the wallet out of the pocket. As he grabbed the condom, Tris pulled her denim shorts and underwear down, pulling them off with her slip-on sneakers. Tobias hastily pulled on the condom as Tris climbed into the trunk, straddling him. Bracing herself on his shoulders, she eased herself down on top of him. Staring into her eyes, he flashed her a quick smile. "We need to be quick." He mumbled, his lips brushing across hers. His tongue snaked out and licked her bottom lip.

Tris grinned. "Oh I don't think that'll be a problem." She said, lifting slightly and sliding back down. Tobias grasped her hips hard in his hands and pushed up as she moved down. Their lips clung together, swallowing each other's gasps and moans. Tris reached up and grasped the padded bar above her head, giving her leverage to grind down harder on him. Tobias' hands glided under her shirt, tweaking her nipples through her bra. He really wished he could pull them into his mouth but they didn't have time for that. That could come later.

Tris loved the feel of his hands running up and down her back. She was getting closer and closer to the edge. Nobody but Tobias could do this to her, she realized deliriously. He made her feel so much and made her want so much more. Tobias' lips left her lips to trail down her throat, then back up to behind her ear. He sucked gently and Tris gasped, dropping her hands to his shoulders, squeezing them tightly as she tumbled into oblivion. Her soft, desperate moans went straight to his head and he gripped her hips tightly, releasing himself inside her.

Tris wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tightly. She pulled back and looked into his eyes. There was a soft smile on his lips. As she stared at him, a wave of tenderness, followed by confusion washed over her. She hated the idea that they had to separate, to go back to their friends. All she wanted was to stay here with him. Did that mean she loved him? She just wasn't sure but she could not imagine her life without him; at least not right now. She cupped his cheek in her hand, suddenly feeling unsure as she realized she was now in uncharted territory. "This is more than casual." She whispered.

He kissed her wrist. "Yeah, it is."

She leaned forward and rested his forehead on hers. "I'm scared." She admitted.

Tobias ran his hands soothingly up and down her back. "We'll figure it out, Tris."

Tris squeezed her eyes closed. "I don't want to hurt you."

He pushed her back so he could look at her. He smoothed her hair away from her face. He couldn't think of anything else to say so he just whispered, "I know you don't." She could, they both knew it, but maybe, just maybe, they could make this work.

Sighing, Tris climbed off him and they dressed quickly. Tobias closed the door to the jeep while Tris picked up the first aid kit and the trash. Tobias held his hand out to her. Tris took it hesitantly. He squeezed her hand. "We'll figure it out." He repeated.

"Can I go home with you?" She asked. "We can talk."

He nodded. "Sure." They walked back towards their friends, neither of them sure where they were going but sure they were going there together.


	4. The One That I Want (T)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have a deep and abiding love for the musical, Grease. This came from a conversation with friends while I was watching the recent live-action version of Grease on TV. I expected it to be a one-shot but it just never really clicked. It's short and sweet but just didn't work too well when I tried to write around it. Oh well.

xXx

Tris made her way into the kitchen, grabbing a red plastic cup and filling it almost to the brim with water. She drank it down quickly, hoping it would cool her off. The skin-tight, black, faux leather pants she wore were a little on the warm side and she thought about ditching the pink satin jacket but it completed the costume so she just couldn't. She smiled when Lauren walked in. "Hi Lauren!"

"Hey!" Lauren gave her a quick hug. "Oh you look fabulous, Tris. Or should I say Sandy?"

They laughed together. Tris touched the springy curls she'd struggled to put into her hair. "You just don't know what it took to get Christina to agree to loan this jacket to me! When she said she was doing the costumes for Grease, I just knew I had to be Sandy for Halloween."

Lauren filled a red cup with water too. "And you and Robert look so adorable together. Danny and Sandy is the perfect couples costume." She sipped, looking at Tris over the top of the cup. Tris started to reply but Lauren cut her off. "Listen, I'm glad I caught you alone. Would you be super pissed if I asked Tobias out?"

Tris stared at Lauren incredulously. "Uh, yeah."

Lauren sighed. "Look, I'm not sure how long you guys have been broken up but –"

Tris frowned. "Lauren, what the hell are you talking about? Tobias and I didn't break up!" Tris put her hands on her hips and glared at her friend.

It was Lauren's turn to frown, confused. "But you and Robert are together."

Tris shook her head. "No we're not."

"But, you're in a couples' costume! And you two have been together almost all night!"

Tris sighed. "It was just a coincidence. Tobias is also Danny Zuko. He was running late from his mom's and didn't get a chance to stop by home and pick up his leather jacket, that's all."

Lauren's cheeks flared red. When she'd heard the whispers from people about Tris and Robert being together, she'd thought she might finally have a shot at one of the most gorgeous guys she'd ever seen. "I'm so sorry, honey. It's just…you guys were dressed alike and Tobias looked so super pissed, I just assumed."

Tris felt her temper begin to dip and she moved her head from side to side, trying to ease the growing tension. If Lauren had thought that, what else had people been saying tonight? "No, Lauren, Tobias and I are definitely still together."

"I'm sorry. Really. Listen, I'm gonna go…" Lauren beat a hasty exit, her cheeks still flaming red. Tris sighed. She knew Tobias was hot, that was completely obvious, but it was certainly going to be awkward now that she knew at least one of her friends would jump at dating him given the first opportunity.

Tris slowly walked out of the kitchen, her eyes tracking the crowded room until she spotted her boyfriend. Tobias was standing over by the wall, leaning against it, ostensibly talking to Amar and George but Tris could tell he wasn't really listening. His brow was deeply creased and he wasn't talking. He glanced up as Robert walked by him, laughing, and Tris saw Tobias's jaw tighten from across the room. She shook her head. She couldn't believe she'd failed to notice how much the attention she and Robert had gotten bothered him. She straightened her shoulders and a slow grin crossed her face. She knew just how to get him to relax…

"So, I told Tori if she really wanted to get Nita to show up on time, just have Tobias conduct the staff meeting naked." George said earnestly.

Tobias nodded. "Yeah." He said distractedly. Then he blinked. "Wait, what?"

George and Amar burst out laughing. George elbowed Amar in the side. "I told you he wasn't paying attention."

Amar nodded. "Fine. You win." Amar took a drink of his beer. "So, what's eating you?"

Tobias shrugged. "Nothing."

George rolled his eyes. "So you want to conduct the staff meeting naked?"

Tobias scowled. "Oh fuck you."

Amar started to reply when he spotted Tris making a beeline for them. "Hey, Tris." He said when she approached.

"Hi guys." Tris smiled at him but her attention was on Tobias. Up close, she could see how agitated he was; he was practically oozing stress from every pore. Well, she'd take care of that. She reached out and grabbed Tobias' arm. "Mind if I borrow him?" She asked.

Amar shrugged. "Suit yourself but he's being antisocial."

Tobias scowled but Tris just laughed. "I can handle him." She said as she pulled Tobias away.

George looked at Amar. "Sex?" He asked.

Amar nodded. "Absolutely. Sex."


	5. Tobias' Musings (T)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I actually wrote this when I was toying with writing exclusively from Four's POV. I tried it out to make sure I had his voice clearly in my head. I admit to being intimidated about writing in the canon universe so I've been playing with it to build up my confidence. You'll notice, of course, that I still haven't written in canon yet...

xXx

There's something unbelievably relaxing about the Control Room at night. I know Zeke doesn't think so. He infinitely prefers the day when people are bustling around and Dauntless is at its busiest. He likes seeing people who forget they are on camera acting like morons. There is some amusement in that, I will admit.

The city is also alive and bustling during the day. We don't have cameras everywhere, of course, but there are some at the Hub, the edges of each of the factions, and, of course, along the edges of Factionless. Technically, we should have more camera coverage of Factionless than any other faction besides our own but the factionless kept destroying the interior cameras so eventually, we limited them to the edges of their abandoned buildings. Usually there's nothing terribly interesting. The city knows we monitor the cameras so people go about their day thinking nothing of it. The cameras are really just a back-up to our in-person patrols but neither are strictly necessary. There's very little crime in Chicago.

There's another flurry of activity at the end of the shift, as there is first thing in the morning. The night patrols are coming back and the morning jobs are beginning. People are rushing to breakfast or the training room or work. Some are buzzed with energy; some are weighted down with fatigue. There are people drinking by the Chasm and generally being, well, Dauntless. I've seen laughter and fights, drinking and hangovers, people making out and people breaking up. Even though they all know there are cameras on them, it doesn't change how they act. Occasionally, people moon the camera. I've seen Zeke's ridiculous ass more times than I really care to admit.

But the middle of the shift, the bulk of it, is peaceful. Quiet in a way I cherish and can't imagine ever taking for granted. I'm usually alone in the Control Room for the overnight shift. It is so quiet only one of us is required to be on duty. I monitor the screens in the city, in the compound, but for the most part, I can just….be.

I was never able to just be in Abnegation. When I wasn't avoiding Marcus, I was thinking about avoiding Marcus. Stress was an omnipresent companion. My memories are stained with it, imbuing them with a film that makes them seem fuzzy if I allow myself to wander down that road. The memories could choke me if I let them, paralyze me with the pain and heartache that defined my childhood.

I try not to think about it unless I'm in my fear landscape. Then the memories are crystal clear.

Here, in the Control Room at night, I allow myself to breathe.

In Dauntless, I left behind Tobias Eaton and became Four. Tobias is still there, of course, the Abnegation child buried inside the Dauntless prodigy. Somehow, I've become okay with my Abnegation values; I've learned that standing up for others is as selfless as subjugating yourself to them. It occasionally amuses me that I learned to be Abnegation by becoming Dauntless. Maybe my divergence is the reason why I see the similarity so clearly. Of course, that is something I can never tell anyone.

My eyes track over the various monitors. The cameras outside each faction show a city at sleep. Erudite is, of course, brightly lit, despite the curfew. I can only tell that from afar as Erudite had the cameras closest to their sector shut down. My jaw clenches. I know they are up to something and it can't be good. For a moment, I consider why I'm still here in Dauntless and I glance up at the Erudite cameras again. Dauntless has become something other than what I thought it would be when I transferred and I'm more than positive Erudite is behind the change. I just wish I could be sure about what it was.

Candor and Abnegation are dark and quiet. I don't know what goes on in Candor, but I do know what happens inside the Abnegation houses. Families are settling down for the night. Turning off solar lamps or blowing out candles. Once, a long time ago, a leader beat his son in that quiet dark.

Even those around the factionless sector are quiet even though I know there's a hive of activity in those dilapidated buildings. Inside those buildings, somewhere, is my mother, planning, plotting, preparing. I don't linger on those images. It has become another memory now tainted by a film of stress.

I turn my attention to the monitors inside the Dauntless compound. There are a few people milling around the Pit. There ALWAYS are. Tonight is relatively tame. The people I saw drinking by the Chasm at the beginning of my shift have now stumbled off to bed. The compound is settling down for the night.

Then, I see her.

She isn't the only blonde in Dauntless but for some reason, that fall of gold seems to draw my attention in a way other blondes can't. Before I'm fully aware of it, I've focused the camera on her, zooming in as closely as I can.

I can't see everything, of course, so my mind fills in the rest. Her clothes are, of course, black, but she doesn't wear them as tight-fitting as some of the other initiates. It's the Abnegation in her, of course. It took me a while to get used to wearing clothes that actually fit. She hasn't been here long but I can already see a difference; she's more toned than she was and she's actually beginning to carry herself with more confidence. She's coming out of the tattoo parlor so I know she's been talking to Tori. She runs her hand through her hair, lifting it and letting it fall. I'm fascinated by the way it bounces against her shoulder blades.

What the hell is wrong with me?

Everything about this is wrong. Spying on her when she can't see me is wrong. Wanting her when she's still an initiate is wrong.

But I can't stop.

I watch her pace the edge of the Chasm. She seems to be working something out, her hands are moving restlessly as she paces. She seems agitated, worried and I frown at the thought of her being unhappy.

I wish I could talk to her. I wish I could watch those icy grey eyes flash like diamonds in the low light. I wish I could see her bite her lip the way she does when she's unsure. Most of all, I wish I could touch her. Slide my arms around her thin waist and pull her flush against me. I can almost smell the vague hint of lemons from her shampoo, the clean scent of rosemary soap that seems to cling to her, even in the training room.

I take a deep breath once I realize my hand is itching to trace her figure on my screen.

I've stayed in Dauntless for her. I've chosen her.

Now I need her to choose me.


	6. Hollywood Hills (T)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had an idea about doing a story where Tobias was an actor. I bounced it of off the ever amazing m1129 and milner and both of them encouraged me to write it myself. I've written about a dozen scenes or so but have struggled to put together a longer plot. In the plot, the studio wants to play up a false relationship between Tobias and Lauren, his co-star and former girlfriend, using a starring role in a movie he really wants as incentive.

xXx

Tris arrived at the studio, hoping she'd timed it right. The photo shoot for the movie's publicity stills should be almost done and she'd be able to report to Tori that all went well. Tobias hadn't been terribly cozy with Lauren at the charity concert so it was her job to remind Tobias that he was supposed to like co-star, even if he didn't.

By the time she got to the main part of the studio, the crew was breaking sown the equipment. She tapped the shoulder of one of the crew. "Hi, is the shoot over?"

He nodded. "Yep."

"Where are the stars?"

"Should be in their dressing rooms." He gestured with his chin towards the back. Tris smiled her thanks and headed back. As she got close, she heard voices. She stopped just outside one of the doors when she heard Tobias say, "Christ, Lauren, give it a rest."

She glanced in to see Tobias standing near the make-up table, his hands at his side. Lauren was cuddled up against him, her arms around his neck. "Come on, Toby, you remember how good we were."

He reached up and took her arms from around his neck. "You know goddamn well I hate the name Toby." He growled. "And you know we sucked together."

Lauren pouted prettily. "Tobias," she said, her voice a sexy purr, "we had some really good times together and you know it. All I'm saying is that this relationship doesn't have to be pretend."

"Forget it."

She pulled away from him, anger flashing in her dark eyes. As she stepped into his chest, Tris decided she'd seen enough. She walked in. "Tobias, I'm sorry to interrupt but you've got another appointment."

Tobias looked at her gratefully. "Yeah, right. Thanks, Tris."

Lauren threw her golden hair over her shoulder with a graceful movement of her head. Now that someone was here, she turned on the charm. "Well, I guess we can finish this later." She leaned up and brushed her lips across Tobias'. "Think about it." She murmured. Without sparing a glance at Tris, she strutted out of the room, her hips swaying.

Tris shook her head as she watched Lauren exit. There wasn't a genuine bone in her body, Tris thought. She turned back to Tobias. He was standing, tension radiating from every pore. His eyes were closed, his hands clenched into fists, breathing deeply. For the first time, Tris became concerned that this arrangement the studio forced on him was going to have seriously negative consequences. She stepped towards him and put a gentle hand on his arm. "Tobias?"

His eyes snapped open and Tris was surprised by the intense emotion swirling in the navy blue depths. Without a word, he turned and grabbed a helmet off the couch. He grabbed her hand. "Let's go."

"Where?"

"We're gonna take a ride."

She squeezed his hand. "Wait. I can't, I've got my car."

He reached back into his pocket and grabbed his phone. He dialed swiftly. "Uri, hey. Can you drive Tris' car back to my house? We're taking a ride. I'll leave the keys in my dressing room." He hung up and looked at her. "Keys."

Tris reached into her purse and handed him her keys, wondering why in the world she was obeying. He dropped them on the make-up table and took her hand again. He led them out of the back to the parking lot and over to a black Harley Davidson motorcycle. He settled the helmet in his hand over her head, adjusting it as best he could. With a satisfied nod, he threw a leg over the bike and climbed on. Tris hesitated for a moment then thought, what the hell, and slid on after him. She wrapped her arms around his waist and moments later, he peeled off.

Tris laughed at thrilling sensation. Tobias drove fast, weaving through traffic, speeding them out of town. City gave way to residential neighborhoods but they continued up through the hills. Tris tightened her arms around Tobias' waist and felt him shudder as she gently caressed his stomach. She wondered if her touch was effecting him or if it was the ride.

Tobias finally pulled off near the edge of a cliff overlooking the ocean. He stopped the bike and they dismounted, Tris' legs a little wobbly. They took off the helmets. Tobias looked at Tris who was grinning broadly. "Was that your first ride?"

She nodded. "That was incredible!"

He smiled but it didn't reach his eyes. "Yeah." He took her helmet from her and propped both of them on the bike's seat. He took a deep breath, closing his eyes.

Tris regarded him in silence for several long minutes. "Are you okay?"

"No."

She stepped towards him. "How can I help?"

He opened his eyes and looked at her. To her surprise, he reached out and pulled her into his arms. He hugged her tightly, dropping his lips to her shoulder. Tris held him, feeling the tension in his back. "What happened?"

"Lauren." The word was muffled by her shoulder. "I don't think I can do this, Tris."

She pulled back and looked at him. Without thinking, she put her hand on his cheek. "Tell me."

He sighed and dropped his arms. He couldn't hold her while he told her. "You know my dad beat me, right." It wasn't a question and Tris nodded. Everyone knew thanks to an article in a tabloid not long after his first movie. "I was seeing Lauren in college. When my dad and I got into that fight at Christmas break, I took off for Europe for several months to get my head together. I stayed with my mom for a while but I hated her new husband so I just wandered. Finally, I came back to LA and re-enrolled for the summer semester. Lauren and I had been living together and when I came back to the apartment, she was furious. I'd called her, let her know what was going on, I even paid the rent for her during the summer, but she just didn't care. I took off on her as far as she was concerned. Maybe she was right." He shrugged.

"You needed to recover." Tris said quietly.

He nodded, not surprised that she would understand. She always seemed to understand. "Lauren didn't see it that way. She goaded me into a fight. A huge fight. I pushed her and for the first time, I seriously considered hitting her. As I was standing over her, I could see in her eyes that she was getting off on it. She thrived on drama and right then, I knew I couldn't do it anymore. I could feel myself turning into Marcus and after everything that was the last thing I wanted. I left. I paid out the end of the lease and stayed with Will for a few weeks."

Tris touched his arm. "Maybe we should get you out of this."

Tobias took a deep breath. "No, we can't. The studio won't give a shit about my baggage. I'll lose that part and I need it."

"I'll help you get through this, I promise." She said.

Tobias reached out and pulled her into his arms again. As she snuggled into the space beneath his chin, Tobias marveled at how calming he found her presence. He ran a hand across her honey blonde hair and breathed in the calming scent of Tris and the ocean. He closed his eyes and never wanted to leave.


	7. The Greek Restaurant (T)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, here's a little more to the previous chapter of Tobias being an actor. I decided to post this just in case anyone was afraid I'd put Lauren and Tobias together...anyway, my ultimate goal for the plot was for the publicity stunt to blow up in their faces when Tobias is caught by the paparazzi kissing Tris after their first date. Ultimately, the studio agrees to allow Tris to play the part of Tobias' real life love interest. To be honest, I've already got about 30 pages so maybe one day I'll force myself to finish.

xXx

"Go to dinner with me."

Tris' eyes widened. "Wh – what?"

He leaned forward. "Go to dinner with me. Someplace quiet, I promise."

"You don't have to – "

"I want to." He interrupted. "Before I turned into an asshole that day we met, I was going to ask you anyway."

Tris tried to keep the smile off her face. Here was one of the most gorgeous men in Hollywood asking her out! "What about that contract stuff?"

He shrugged. "Consider it a favor. The last time I get to choose my dinner companion for a while. It's a pity date."

She laughed lightly at the thought that he could ever be anyone's pity date. Before she could answer, Tori's office door opened and her secretary came out. She smiled brightly. "Tori's ready for you, Mr. Eaton."

"Thanks." He stood, not taking his eyes off Tris. "Come on." He said.

She smiled up at him and shook her head. "This is probably a bad idea." She said.

Shrugging, he leaned down and asked, "Is that a yes?"

She tilted her head. "This can't go anywhere, you know."

"No but at least I get one last night with company I'd enjoy."

This time, Tris couldn't stop the smile. "Okay, sure. Dinner tonight."

Tobias grinned, absurdly pleased. "You like Greek, right?"

"Never had it."

Tobias stared at her like she'd just grown a second head. "You're kidding."

"Nope."

"We're rectifying that tonight." He pulled out his phone to text her the address. "Seven?"

"Okay."

"I assume you want to meet me there?" He chuckled as she blushed knowing that if he picked her up, it could just increase the chances of them being seen together. "Okay. I'll text you the directions."

xXx

Tris pulled into the small parking lot behind the little Greek restaurant. As she walked around to the front of the block, Tris realized her hands were sweaty. Of course they were! Shewas about to have dinner with the sexiest man she'd ever seen. The worst part, though, was that she knew it couldn't go anywhere. Tobias was going to have to pretend to be in a relationship with his co-star. PR appearances were a part of the publicity clause in his contract and the studio had every intention of exploiting that the way they wanted. There was another whole movie to film after the current one premiered so Tris figured Tobias would be off limits for a while. That he was pretty much unattainable should have made her feel better about this dinner but she just didn't. Tris was terribly afraid she'd have the best time of her life with a man she could not have.

Before she pushed open the door to Icarus Restaurant, Tris stopped and took a deep breath. "Okay, Tris, you got this." When she entered, she saw Tobias to her left, leaning against the bar, standing with a large, balding man. They were speaking rapidly in a foreign language Tris guessed was Greek. Tobias looked up and smiled at her, his blue eyes warm. Tris felt her knees weaken.

"Here she is, Gus." Tobias said, in English.

Gus hurried from around the bar, grabbed Tris by her upper arms and kissed her on her right, left then right cheek. "Welcome, welcome, welcome Tris!"

She smiled, a little overwhelmed by the affection. "Uh, hi."

Tobias laughed and came over to her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "Tris Prior, this is Gus Condaratos."

"You are most welcome in my restaurant. I hear this is your first time with Greek food!" Gus didn't seem to talk so much as shout. He led them to a table and gestured for them to sit. There weren't many patrons dining and those that did barely glanced at Tobias. Tris wondered if he came here often. "I'm gonna bring you a lot of things. You get a taste of Greece tonight!" He looked at Tobias. "I'm gonna bring the whole bottle, Tobias."

Tobias nodded. "Thanks."

Tris raised an eyebrow. "Bottle?"

"I went with a Pinot Grigio. Its neutral enough to compliment most anything Gus comes up with."

"Hey, Tobias." A young girl, no older than 15 came over with a bowls of pita bread, olives and a corkscrew.

"Hey, Nikki. How's your mom?"

She smiled. "Great. She's not here tonight. Hector's in the back."

Gus came back, a bottle of wine tucked under his arm, holding two bowls. He set each down. "Hummus. Tzatziki. I be back with the dolmas and eggplant."

Tris looked up at Tobias. "Wow."

He grinned and pushed the pita towards her. "Oh trust me, there's more." He grabbed the corkscrew and quickly opened the wine. As he poured, Tris reached for a piece of pita and dipped it in the tzatziki. She took a bite and her eyes widened. "Wow." She said again.

Tobias laughed. "See how you've been deprived?" He asked, handing her a glass of wine.

"Yeah. What is it?"

"Tzatziki. Yogurt and cucumber primarily. A little dill and garlic. That's why it's a bit sour and spicy at the same time."

Gus dropped the plates with dolmas, fried eggplant and spanakopita. "The main course is roast lemon chicken and potatoes. There'll be village salad. Oh, don't forget dessert." He hurried back off.

"Village salad?"

Tobias took a sip of his wine. "Cucumbers, tomatoes, red onion, feta, capers, kalamatas, oil and lemon juice. Trust me, you'll love it."

Tris shook her head. "I'm not going to be able to eat for a week after this."

Tobias grinned and put a dolma on her plate. "For Greeks, food is love. Try this. It's a stuffed grape leaf. This is the appetizer version so it only has rice. The dinner size had ground beef or lamb and is covered in this amazing lemon egg sauce."

Tris bit into the grape leaf and savored the tangy taste. "Oh, man, where has this been all my life?"

Tobias laughed and gestured with his piece of spanakopita. "Try one. It's spinach and feta."

Tris eagerly reached for it. "How did you find this place?"

"I went to a Greek Orthodox church near campus to find a Greek tutor to help me keep up. I met Gus there and started coming by regularly."

"So that was Greek you were speaking." She said. Tobias nodded. "I didn't know you could speak it."

He shrugged. "I've been speaking since I was a kid. My mom's trust fund, and later mine, were dependent on my learning. My grandfather was thoroughly Greek even though at this point, he's been in England longer than he was in Greece. He was pretty pissed when my mom took Johnson as her last name when she modeled. Then she had the poor taste to marry a non-Greek, according to my grandfather, so he wanted to make sure I knew my heritage."

Tris reached for another spanakopita and wondered idly if she could fit in regular trips here to sate what was sure to become an obsession with Greek food. "Have you been to Greece?"

Tobias nodded and sipped his wine. "Yeah, several times. I love it. My mom's family is from a tiny little fishing town on the Peloponnesian Coast so I visited there a couple of times. The rest of the time I island hop. Totally worth it." He shook his head. "Enough about me. Where'd you go to school?"

"Pepperdine, then Stanford for my master's."

Tobias raised his eyebrows. "Smarty pants."

Tris laughed. "You're one to talk, Mr. ABD in Classical Literature."

He laughed. "How'd you know about that?"

"I'm a publicist. It's my job to know." Tris' eyes twinkled with humor. "Why, is it a state secret or something? If so, you blew it."

"No, it's just that nobody ever asks about it. More often I get asked what it was like to do a DKNY underwear ad."

"It was a nice ad." She said, deadpan.

Tobias nearly choked on his wine laughing. "Gee thanks."

"Anyway, my brother's the brain trust between the two of us. He's studying genetics at MIT."

"Oh." Tobias was surprised. "Okay." He laughed a little. "I have no response to that."

She smiled over her glass of wine, enjoying how his dark eyes crinkled a little at the corners. Talking to him was coming so easily, she felt like she'd known him forever. "So, why classical literature?"

He shrugged. "I'm Greek."

They talked, laughed, and ate, as Gus kept bringing more food. At some point, Tris wasn't even sure when, Tobias tangled his fingers with hers. After Gus brought cookies and thick, rich Greek coffee, Tris realized they'd been together nearly four hours. "It's almost 11." She said quietly.

Tobias looked at his watch. "Yeah. I guess I should let you go. You've got work tomorrow."

Tris nodded. "I don't want to go." She admitted.

He smiled and ran his finger across her hand. "Neither do I."

"But I have to." She reached for her purse. "How about we go Dutch -"

Tobias waved her away. "Already taken care of."

She looked up at him. "Tobias…"

"Hey, this was my version of the Last Supper, remember?"

She shook her head. "I'll figure out how to get you back." She teased, standing.

He stood also and took her hand. "I'll walk you to your car." He called for Gus who hugged him, speaking rapidly in Greek. Gus turned to Tris and hugged her too.

"You come back, anytime." Gus said, handing her a bag of food.

"I will. Everything was amazing but I can't take this."

Gus shook his head. "Take it, you're too skinny." Tris laughed and impulsively kissed his cheek. Considering the brisk rate she'd noticed drivers and patrons stopping in and taking out food, Tris figured the bulk of his business was take out. So, she'd definitely be back.

Tobias took her hand and they walked silently to her car. She opened the door, put the bag of food and her purse inside and turned to face him. "I wish we could do this again."

"Me too." He leaned in closer to her. "I'm regretting than damn PR stunt more now than I was before."

"You have to do it." She said but her heart wasn't in it. Her pulse was thrumming rapidly as she stared into those deep blue eyes. Again, she thought of a magnet and she felt herself being pulled towards him. She put her hands on his chest but she wasn't actually pushing him back.

He nodded and slid his arms around her waist. "And I have to do this too." His deep voice was gravely with desire. He bent down and kissed her firmly. Tris' arms slid up around his neck and her fingers tangled in his hair. She opened her mouth and his tongue caressed hers. She could feel herself getting lightheaded as their lips moved together. She didn't know how long they stood there but eventually she made herself pull away. She ran her fingers across his cheek, rubbing her thumb over his bottom lip. "If we don't stop now, I won't be able to." She said, her voice barely above a whisper. She felt an ache of loss deep in her chest.

He rested his forehead on hers. "I already don't want to stop." He straightened. "If I could get out of this, I would. I want you, Tris."

"I want you too. But you can't so it doesn't matter."

He turned his head and kissed her palm. "I'll be thinking of you."

She smiled and nodded. He moved back and she got in the car. He closed the door for her. As she drove off, he waved. The further away she got, the deeper the ache in her chest got.

xXx

"Jeanine Matthews is a fucking bitch." Christina declared.

Tobias snorted and Will winced. "Jesus, Christina."

"What? She's using MY script to hurt a friend of mine! I don't appreciate it!" She took a defiant slurp of her chocolate milkshake.

"That's a true friend." Tobias smirked. He stuffed a French fry in his mouth. Tuesday nights were Tobias' night to have dinner with Will and Christina whenever all three of them could make it. It was a tradition they'd established back in college after their late afternoon theater history class. Once the class was over, Christina insisted they keep up the ritual so they wouldn't lose touch and in the last few years, they'd congregated at Will and Christina's apartment. Since it was Christina's script, Tobias had decided to tell her the PR spin Jeanine Matthews, CEO of Dauntless Studios, had foisted on him. Christina was, as expected, outraged.

Will nodded, dividing his attention between them and his Facebook page. "Yeah but calling the CEO of the studio that just bought your screenplay a bitch isn't a great move."

"Pfft." Christina snorted. "That's no excuse."

Will sighed. "I know, just be careful with your opinion. You don't want it to get back to her."

Tobias nodded. "Actually, Will has a point." Tobias gestured with his hamburger. "I can suck it up. It's not like I have to sleep with Lauren or anything."

"Thank God." Christina mumbled. She'd never liked Lauren. She thought Lauren was spoiled, selfish and arrogant. She'd practically thrown a party when Lauren and Tobias broke up, especially since Tobias had been the one doing the dumping.

"But you did say the date you had last night was awesome and you want to see her again, right?" Will looked up from his tablet.

Tobias glared at him. "Whose side are you on?" Will just grinned.

Christina put down her hamburger. "I'm just pissed. She doesn't really care if you and Lauren don't get along. Besides, I don't want to see Lauren get her claws back into you." She leaned forward and put her hand on Tobias'. "That time sucked for you." She said sympathetically. She and Will had had a first row seat for the drama that had been Lauren and Tobias' relationship.

"I'll survive, Christina." He said with a smile. "I'm not in the same place I was then." He sat back, hoping to lighten the mood. "It won't last. I'm willing to bet Lauren gets caught on TMZ with some guy before we start filming."

Just then, Will made a choking noise. Both Christina and Tobias turned to him. "Baby, you okay?" Christina asked.

Without a word, Will leaned over and handed Tobias his tablet. Christina looked over his shoulder and gasped.

"Aw, shit." Tobias mumbled.

Right there on TMZ were three pictures of Tobias and Tris in the doorway of her car. The headline screamed, "Tobias Eaton Caught in Romantic Embrace with Mystery Girlfriend!" In the first picture, Tobias was leaning towards Tris; in the second, they were kissing passionately; and in the third, Tobias' forehead was leaning on Tris' and her hand was cupping his cheek. Tobias noted that the embrace looked just as passionate on the outside as it had felt on the inside. He sighed.

Christina looked up at him. "This is bad, right?"

"Oh yeah." Will piped in.

Tobias rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah, probably." He looked at them again. "God, someone must've followed us out of Icarus."

"You took her to Icarus?" Christina asked sharply.

"Yeah." Tobias answered absently, looking at the picture, remembering how much he'd wanted to keep holding Tris. He looked up just in time to catch the meaningful look Christina and Will shared. "What?"

"You never take dates to Icarus." Will said quietly.

"Only family." Christina said. "It was years before you took us. And you've NEVER taken Lauren."

Tobias stared at them a moment. He started to refute it but then he stopped. It was true, he realized. Icarus was special to him so he only took special people. And, he hadn't considered taking Tris anywhere else. "Huh." He said.

At that moment, his cell phone rang. Tobias leaned over and picked it up from the coffee table, handing the tablet to Christina. "Shit. It's Tori." Christina and Will grimaced in sympathy. Tobias swiped his finger across the screen and cautiously held the phone up to his ear. "Hey Tori. Yeah, I know. No, I know. Yeah. Yeah, I'll be right there." He tapped the screen and looked at them. "She wants me in her office now."

Christina stood. "I'll put your burger back in the container." She said, heading for the kitchen.


	8. The Awkward Homecoming (M)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is one I think I'll actually expand because I'm mildly obsessed with the image of Theo in those sexy Hugo Boss commercials. His image was totally in my head when I wrote this version of Tobias.

xXx

_302_

Tris sighed with pleasure as she stared at the gold numbers of her apartment door. She was glad to be home. She had spent the last three weeks babysitting a temperamental author on the last stage of his book tour. Christina, the original publicist assigned to the tour, had to leave unexpectedly at the very beginning of the tour when her parents had been in a car accident. They were okay, luckily, but they'd required help so Tori, Tris' boss, had sent Tris to cover. The author, Molly Atwood, was a best-selling romantic suspense author and a world class bitch. She'd run Tris ragged with her ridiculous requests. Tris' flight from Detroit ended up being over two hours late. And to top it all off, Tris had to stop by her office to give her boss an impromptu briefing about the trip as Molly had called and complained about everything from the hotel accommodations to the treatment by various bookstores.

She opened the door and was immediately greeted by Marco, her fat black and white cat. She wheeled her suitcase into the apartment and closed the door behind her, Marco winding himself between her legs in greeting. Tris bent down and scooped him into her arms. "Hey baby boy." She murmured, burying her face in his silky soft fur. Marco purred, rubbing his head against hers. Tris looked around, pleasantly surprised to see her apartment in such good condition. Her cousin, Myra, had been staying there to cat-sit while Tris was away, and Myra wasn't known for her housekeeping skills.

Tris has just let the cat down when she heard a faint moan coming from the direction of her bedroom. Tris froze. Myra was supposed to go back to her parents' place since Tris was coming home today but there was always the possibility she had stuck around to hang out for a minute and catch up. Tris carefully reached down for her purse, fishing out her cell phone and her spray can of pepper spray. She kicked off her heels so they wouldn't make noise and cautiously made her way down the hallway to her bedroom. The door was open and Tris just stared, the sight before her rendering her speechless.

The dark haired man was completely obscuring the woman beneath him but from the breathy moans and the movement of the man's ass beneath the sheets, there was absolutely no doubt as to what they were doing. Tris felt her face flame red. "What the hell is this?"

The man abruptly stopped and glanced over his shoulder, a lock of dark hair falling across his forehead. He frowned at her as Myra, her golden hair askew, struggled to lever herself up and glance over his shoulder. "Tris!" She exclaimed. "You're not supposed to be home until Thursday!"

"It IS Thursday," Tris ground out, barely holding her temper in check.

"Oh," Myra giggled nervously as she gently urged the man off her. He flopped to the side carelessly, staring at Tris with dark eyes, a slight smirk on his face. "Um, Tris, Eric. Eric, Tris."

Eric's dark eyes raked over Tris, taking in the hair falling out of its ponytail, the wrinkled dark blue sheath dress and jacket a testament to her long journey. "So, you're the cousin." He drawled. "Nice place."

"Gee, thanks," Tris spat through clenched teeth. "So would you mind getting the hell out of my bed?"

"Oh sure!" Myra gave a nervous giggle. Tris didn't lose her temper often but when she did, it was epic. "We'll just get cleaned up here."

Tris turned on her heel and stalked down the hallway towards the kitchen. She pressed her palms into her eyes and repressed the urge to scream. Myra was Tris' age but somehow seemed years younger in maturity. Tris' brother, Caleb, couldn't fathom how she trusted Myra to housesit for her but aside from eating all of Tris' food and occasionally racking up pay per view charges on cable, it wasn't a bad deal. Marco liked having someone around and Tris didn't have to worry about him or her plants dying or her mail piling up. She could, of course, call on her boyfriend to cat-sit but this trip had been last minute and Tobias himself had been out of town the entire second week of the tour.

Tris grabbed a glass from the cabinet and filled it with water from the filtered water dispenser. Gulping it down, she glanced at the clock on the microwave. Tobias would be here any minute and she had really been looking forward to a quiet, romantic homecoming with the man she was pretty sure she was going to marry. She opened the refrigerator, looking for the bottle of burgundy rosé she'd stashed before she left, and groaned. Of course, it was gone.

Tris sighed and leaned against the counter, wondering if she should call Tobias and tell him she and Marco would meet him at his place but he'd probably already left. Besides, in rush hour traffic, it would take him too long to divert away from her place in Chelsea to his in Upper Manhattan. She'd just have to suck it up until he got there and then she could convince him to go to his place. Telling him her cousin had been doing the bump and grind with some random guy in her bed would be enough.

She looked up as Eric sauntered into the room, a slight smirk on his face. Tris stared at him as he reached around her to open the fridge and grab a bottle of Coke. "Sorry about this." He said, twisting the cap off and draining half the bottle in one gulp.

Tris tried to get herself to relax. It wasn't totally his fault, after all, Myra was the one who brought him back here. "Yeah, well, this wasn't quite what I expected."

He looked her up and down. Tris squirmed, a little uncomfortable with his assessing gaze. "Myra tells me you're some kind of writer's assistant or something."

She frowned. "I'm in public relations at a publishing company."

"You were on some kind of book tour?"

"Yeah."

Eric finished off the bottle of soda and stepped closer to Tris, trapping her against the counter. Her eyes narrowed and he gave her a saucy grin, tossing the empty bottle into the recycling bin next to the counter. "You've got a boyfriend, right?"

"Yes," she said shortly, wondering what business it was of his.

"So, why didn't your boyfriend pick you up?" He murmured, his breath warm on her cheek. Tris' hand balled up at her side and she thought seriously about punching him in the stomach when she heard her apartment door open.

"Tris?" Tobias called.

Tris slid past Eric with a frown and exited the kitchen, heading for her boyfriend. He looked ridiculously good in his tailored black suit, crisp white shirt and thin black tie; every inch the successful corporate attorney he was. He smiled at her, his deep blue eyes crinkling a little at the corners. "Hey, baby." He murmured as she walked into his arms. He hugged her tightly then tipped her head up and brushed his lips against hers. "Miss me?" He asked. Before she could answer, he deepened the kiss, his arms banding around her tightly.

"You have no -" She broke off when Tobias looked up at something over her shoulder. She turned around to see Eric walking out of her kitchen. Tris ground her teeth together as she stifled a groan at the interruption.

"Eric? Eric Peyton?" Tobias asked, confused. He glanced down at Tris then back at Eric.

"Four Eaton?" Eric asked, equally surprised. "You're the boyfriend?"

Tobias looked down at Tris, who pulled away and turned to face Eric, her arm wrapped around Tobias' waist. "Tris, what's up?"

"You two know each other?" Tris asked, noting that Eric used the nickname Tobias told her he had while playing football as a kid.

"Yeah," Eric answered, "we went to high school together." He smirked a little, giving Tris the hint that maybe they weren't exactly friends. She started to say something when Myra came into the room, her grin wide and artificially bright. She was practically bouncing with nervous energy and stopped short when she saw Tobias, shifting from one foot to the other. Tris alone was nerve-wracking but she and Tobias together were downright formidable.

"Tobias! Um, hey." She shifted her black and white patchwork quilted bag from one shoulder to the other. "So, I changed the bed so you guys should be all good to go. Thanks for letting me crash, Tris." She grabbed Eric's hand. "We're gonna jet. Later!" Dragging Eric, she beat a hasty exit.

Tobias looked down at Tris, a barely suppressed smile tugging at his lips. From the aggravated expression on his girlfriend's face, he bet the story would be good. And with Myra, it really could be anything. She managed to get herself into more trouble than anyone they knew.

Tris rested her forehead against his chest and groaned. "They were fucking in my bed!"

Tobias ran his hands up and down her arms, doing his best not to laugh. "Moving in with me is looking better and better, isn't it?" He teased. He'd been trying for the last couple of months to get her to ditch her place but he knew she liked her independence. Her parents had been extremely worried when she decided to move to New York so it meant a lot to her that she prove to them she could make it on her own. Moving into her rich boyfriend's place is exactly what her parents would want her to do.

She shook her head against his chest, "I've got a security deposit I need back and the penalty to break the lease is a killer."

He lifted her chin with a grin. "I'll pay it. It's not a big deal." He insisted when she started to protest. "Come on, it'll give me a chance to use Marcus' money for something good." He leaned down and brushed his lips across hers. "Think about it, a nice Upper West Side apartment with three bedrooms, huge picture windows, a modern kitchen and a cleaning lady once a week."

Eyes narrowed, Tris glared up at him. "I don't need all that and you know it."

He laughed. "Okay," he said, "the coup de grace is that the only people who'll be fucking in our bed is us."

"Sold."

Tobias laughed loudly. "Okay, let's get some of your stuff and take Marco back to our place." He kissed her deeply, his tongue tangling with hers teasingly. "But first, why don't we get some dinner."

"Good, because they drank our wine."


	9. Waking Up in Dauntless (M)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been thinking about a post Allegiant movie fic ever since I saw it the first time. At this point, I have no expectations for getting a movie, with the original cast, that will provide a satisfactory ending. If you're wondering, I hated the original ending and thought Tris' death was pointless, stupid and insulting to the original story, just so you know what I mean by satisfactory. In any event, this scene came to me after I saw the movie again.
> 
> I posted this for enj412 and Bamcn as they said they needed smut...

xXx

When Tris first opened her eyes, she was momentarily disoriented. She'd expected to see the metal bunk beds, hear the murmurings of the others around her in the Bureau's dorm. Instead she was greeted with silence, faced with plain, white walls. She moved a little, stretching, and felt a warm body behind her; realization flooded through her. She wasn't alone. She was in Tobias' apartment in Dauntless.

They were home.

Smiling, she turned to her other side and looked at Tobias. Sometime during the night, she'd turned so that she wasn't snuggled against him but they hadn't moved too far away from each other. Her eyes swept over him. The dark sheet was bunched around his waist, revealing his muscular torso, and the cuts and bruises that now blossomed over the tanned skin. Worst of all was the six-inch scar along his abdomen, an angry red color visible even through the clear coating of liquid stitches the Erudite doctor used to close the wound. Tris' mouth tightened. He hadn't told her exactly what happened when the air ship crashed, or how it crashed, only that he'd been banged up. It hadn't helped that he'd had to fight his way through Erudite, aggravating all the injuries he'd sustained in the crash.

Tris reached up and lightly traced the scar along his high cheekbone, regret filling every portion of her. He was hurt because of her. Because she'd allowed herself to listen to a man she'd just met rather than the one who'd put himself in danger over and over to protect and support her. She sighed as her fingertips traced his lips. She wondered how she'd ever make it up to him.

Tobias' lips curved beneath her fingers a second before he opened his dark blue eyes. "Hey, morning." His voice was scratchy with sleep.

"Morning." She whispered back.

He blinked as he took in her pensive expression. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"Tris." He said firmly.

She sighed. "I was just wondering how you could forgive me so easily. I was so stupid to listen to David. I was so sure he could be trusted because my mother trusted him once."

He shrugged. "Like I said, you were doing what you thought was right."

Tris' lips curved slightly in a smile. "Your Abnegation is showing." She teased.

Without warning, he reached over and pulled her on top of him, his hand curving around her back of her neck to bring her head down to him for a kiss. "Then let me show you my Dauntless." He mumbled against her lips. He started to try and flip them over but Tris stopped him with a firm hand on his chest.

"You shouldn't take your weight on that knee." She reminded him.

"It feels fine." The Erudite doctors who had patched him up after they'd stopped the memory serum had advised him to baby his strained knee for a few days. He didn't know if he'd hurt it when the ship crashed or if that kick to the knee the Factionless solider had given him did it. As far as Tobias was concerned, the pain in his knee was not going to stop him from making love to his girl.

She glanced at him, basking in the passion she could read in his eyes. They hadn't had any private time at the Bureau so it had been a month since they'd made love. Tris let her fingers trail down his torso, tracing the defined muscles. In the weeks before they'd gone over the fence, they'd been insatiable, stealing moments together whenever they could, so the separation had been painful for the both of them. Now that they were back in Chicago, back in Dauntless, they could finally pick up where they left off. There was a ton of work to do; they had to evaluate how many people had been impacted by the memory serum. There was the new city council to put together, the next move in their restoration of the city and their plans for the Bureau. But none of that mattered to Tris at that moment. All she cared about was the man next to her.

Tris leaned forward, kissing him deeply. Tobias tangled his hand in her blonde strands, his tongue caressing hers. He groaned as Tris moved over to straddle him. Their kiss deepened, intensified, their fingers retracing familiar territory. Tris broke the kiss and sat up, pulling the t-short she wore – his t-shirt – over her head and throwing it behind her. Tobias sat up, his mouth moving to cover one of her nipples. Tris tangled her hands in his hair and moaned, holding him to her as he teased her. Not to be outdone, Tris undulated her hips against him, grinding down on his growing erection. Tobias hummed with pleasure, the vibration teasing the nipple he sucked.

With her eyes on his, Tris pulled away and gently pushed him down so he fell back on the bed. She leaned forward, kissing her way down his chest, pulling his pajama pants off as she worked her way down his body. She quickly shed her underwear and crawled back up the bed towards him. Tobias pulled her down on top of him again, his kiss fierce. His fingers wandered down to trace her flesh, gently tweaking her clit. Tris moaned a little, riding his fingers, her eyes drifting closed. Teasing her, his hands wandered again, moving behind her to squeeze her butt cheeks. Tris smiled against his lips. "Feel something you like?"

He chuckled and squeezed again. "You know I love your ass."

A wicked idea entered her mind as she sat up. "Want to try something different?" She asked innocently.

Tobias propped himself up on his elbows and raised his eyebrows. "What did you have in mind?"

She leaned forward and kissed him quickly, then turned around so she was straddling him with her back to him. Grasping him firmly in her hand, she pumped him a couple of times to make sure he was nice and hard. Behind her, he let out a strangled moan. Tris grinned, she'd missed the sounds he made, missed how powerful she felt when she aroused his passion. She lifted her hips and eased herself down onto him. They both let out sighs, loving the feeling of being connected once again. Tobias sat up, wrapping his arms around her waist and kissing the back of her neck.

"God you feel good."

She nodded, temporarily unable to speak. They stayed still a moment, locked together, their hearts beating in tune. Tobias kissed her shoulder. "I love you."

Tris turned her head so she could glance back at him. "I love you too. Now, lay back." She ordered.

He chuckled. "Yes, ma'am." He laid back on the bed, loving the view of her backside the position offered. Bracing herself on his thighs, she began raising and lowering herself slowly so she could give herself time to adjust. The pleasure he gave her was so intense, she could scarcely believe she'd been able to stay away from him for so long. She sped up her movements and soon was riding him faster and faster. Tobias groaned behind her, running his hands up and down her back before settling on her hips and pulling her to him as he raised his hips to meet hers.

They moved together, each groaning, saturating themselves in pleasure. Tris gasped for breath, her lower abdomen tightening as she felt herself getting close to her peak. She leaned forward slightly so that he would hit her g-spot with every stroke. After just a few downward thrusts, she broke, squeezing her eyes shut as she held her breath. Her hands tightened on his thighs, shaking as her orgasm tore through her, stealing her voice.

Tobias usually loved watching her face when she came but he had to admit, he really did like seeing her tremble above him, knowing he did that to her. He was on the edge, ready to explode but he put aside his own needs for a moment to admire the slight sheen of sweat on her skin. He pushed himself up so he could nibble on her shoulder.

Tris came back to herself and concentrated on the hard flesh still buried inside her. She began to move her hips again, wanting to make him feel as good as she currently did. Tobias' hands gripped her hips, and Tris loved the harsh sounds of his breathing behind her. Tris reaching down, fondling his balls, massaging them gently. Tobias gave a shout of pleasure as he let go, riding the waves of intense bliss. When she felt him relax beneath her, Tris lifted herself and laid next to him, curling into his side.

Wrapping an arm around her shoulders, Tobias pulled her down so he could kiss her fiercely. He pushed her hair behind her ear and stared into her eyes. "Wow."

She chuckled a little, tracing his full lower lip with her thumb. "Wow is right. I don't know how we kept apart for so long." She grew serious again. "Tobias, I love you and I'm so glad we're back together."

He pulled her head down to his again, caressing his lips against hers. "We were never really apart." He said. "There's no way I could stay away from you for long."

Tris laid her head down on his chest. "I know we should get up and go back over to Factionless."

Tobias shook his head. "Later."

She nodded. "Yeah, later."


	10. A Massage (M)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As I've mentioned, writing in canon intimidates me although I can think of a million places for the story to have gone after Insurgent. This is a little glimpse into what could have been...and yes, I know I ended it before the smut! :-) I'll expand this if I ever figure out where to include it.

xXx

The dark hallway leading to the Pit was already filled with the sound of music and people. Four paused before the bend in the hall would lead him into the Pit, trying to work himself up to facing it. The sounds should have comforted him, evidence that his faction was slowly getting back to normal. But tonight he was tired. He'd spend most of the morning at Candor, working on integrating their internal monitoring system into the city-wide mainframe he was building. Dealing with the Candor was draining for him, their lack of personal boundaries often strayed into areas he'd rather not share with just anyone. Then, once he returned to Dauntless, he, Tori and Harrison had spent hours pouring over old city maps, train maps and plans for the buildings that made up the Dauntless compound. They wanted to update Dauntless' living quarters so that they could better accommodate older and disabled members of the faction. Four's eyes were burning from strain, his head pounding from information overload.

Four looked at the faint light before him and sighed. The only way to make it back to the members' apartments was to cross the Pit. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath in through his nose, slowly letting it out through his mouth. The calming trick had come from one of the healers while he and Tris were at Amity. It had taken him a while to try it but once he had, he'd been surprised how much taking just a moment to center himself had helped. He straightened his shoulders and let his face fall into the blank, inscrutable expression he wore when dealing with most of the faction. He continued down the hallway.

The mass of bodies, laughing, drinking, talking, the din of the music, the rushing sound of the water created a nearly physical wall of sound. For just a moment, all the movement and noise threatened to overwhelm him and his step faltered. But he kept moving forward.

He gave an acknowledging head nod to anyone who greeted him as he made his way through the crowd. There was an impromptu band set up in one corner of the Pit, people scattered around, dancing or just standing around talking and drinking. He was almost to the hallway that led to the members' apartments when Uriah stepped in front of him, his arm slung around Christina.

"Four!" Uriah said with his usual exuberance.

Four gave the younger man a small smile. Uriah was one of the few people he could relax around and just be himself. "Hey Uri." He turned to Christina. She had grown on him since her initiation and as Tris' other best friend, he found he could relax around her too. "Christina." She smiled at him as Uri held out a brown bottle. Four shook his head, knowing it was Dauntless' infamous homemade liquor. He was entirely too tired to drink. At this point, he was afraid one sip would knock him out. "What's going on?"

"Just hanging," Uri said. "I'm gonna take over at drums in a minute. You want to stick around?"

"Probably not. I was at Candor all morning so I just want to crash."

Christina grimaced sympathetically. "Sorry about that." She knew how tough it was for him to be around her former faction since his trial. Truth serum was one of the biggest reasons Christina herself had left so she knew how he felt.

Four's small smile expanded. "You guys seen Tris?" Christina and Uriah looked at each other and Four stiffened. "What?" he asked sharply. "Is she okay?"

"Yeah, she's fine, Four." Christina reassured him. "It was just a hard day. Harrison had her sparring for a good portion of the morning so she'd be in top shape when we finally take initiates again. Then the Amity trucks were finally able to make it in this afternoon and since we missed last week's delivery due to the heavy rains, it was all hands on deck to unload." Christina grimaced. "She was practically dozing during dinner. She went home to bed."

Four shook his head. "I'd better get up there and check on her." His eyes narrowed on the bottle. "You guys be careful, okay?"

Uriah rolled his eyes. "We'll be good."

Four actually grinned for a minute and clamped Uriah on the shoulder. "See you tomorrow." He made his way through the remainder of the crowd and breathed a sigh of relief when he reached the elevator. He was not a fan of taking the elevator but climbing the eleven flights of stairs to their apartment was beyond him at that moment. He stepped in, pushed the button and closed his eyes, concentrating on his breathing. Luckily, he reached the floor quickly as most people seemed to either be already home or in the Pit.

He opened his apartment door, shutting it quietly. There was a light on in the kitchen and spilling out of the bedroom. He stood for a moment and based on the silence, he assumed Tris was indeed sleeping. He quietly made his way to the bedroom and stood in the doorway for a moment, watching her. Tris was dressed only in one of his t-shirts and was face down on the bed, snoring lightly. Four smiled. She'd protest if he told her he snored but the gentle buzz coming from her was proof enough. He grabbed a pair of thin cotton pants from the drawer and went into the bedroom to change.

She still hadn't moved when he came out. She was in the middle of the bed so he was going to have to wake her. He sat on the edge and gently brushed a lock of her honey colored hair away from her face. She'd been letting it grow out from the grief inspired cut so it now fell just past her shoulders. He secretly hoped she'd let it grow back to the length it was when he met her. Before they'd gotten together, he'd often dreamed of Tris straddling him, leaning over to kiss him, her thick hair creating a curtain of privacy that blocked out the rest of the world.

Tris stirred as his fingers caressed her cheek. "Mm, you're home," she murmured sleepily.

"Yeah," he said quietly, a small smile playing at his lips. "I heard you had a rough one."

She groaned, still not moving. "I thought you were a tough instructor," she complained. "But Harrison is brutal."

Four chuckled. "As you know, Amar trained me before he died. Harrison trained him."

Tris rolled her eyes. "Great." She stretched, knowing she needed to move to allow her lover into bed but she was so comfortable. "My back is killing me."

"I actually think I can help." Four disappeared into the bathroom and came out a moment later, a brown jar in his hand. He straddled Tris on the bed, lifting her – or rather his – t-shirt.

"What are you, oh." Tris sighed as she felt Tobias's large hands begin to rub something slightly cool on her back. It smelled slightly minty and her skin tingled as he rubbed. "What is that?" she groaned.

Four grinned. "It's a peppermint rub." His hands dug into the small of her back and Tris moaned again. "Amity makes it."

"Why didn't I know about this?" she asked, the pillow doing nothing to mask the pleasure in her voice.

Four chuckled. "Irene hoards it in the medical wing. She said it was the only way she could get Dauntless members to actually go to medical if they were conscious and not bleeding."

Tris made an inarticulate sound and Four found himself smiling broadly. He rubbed the peppermint gel into her skin, loving at how soft it was. He moved down to her legs, his thumbs digging into her thighs, then smoothing his way down her calves. He picked up her small foot in his hand, pressing his thumb into her instep. The moan she gave sounded exactly like the one she gave when he pushed inside her. He couldn't help but let out a small laugh.

Tris halfheartedly swiped at him with her other leg. He grabbed it and gave it the same treatment. He moved his hands up her leg, squeezing, stopping occasionally to dip his hand into the jar for more gel. He stopped to squeeze her buttocks and Tris giggled. Four moved back up her back, raising the t-shirt as he went. Tris raised up slightly allowing him to pull the t-shirt off.

Four dug into her shoulders, wondering how she could carry so much tension there. He brushed aside her hair so he could press his fingers into the back of her neck. The soft sounds of pleasure emanating from her was making it tough for him to concentrate on just trying to get her to relax. He loved the toned muscles of her back, covered by the soft, smooth skin. He frowned slightly as his fingers glided over the scar of her bullet wound. He hated remembering how he'd almost lost her.

He ran his hands up and down the full length of her back, noting each small nick and scar. They'd been through so much, he mused. He never knew, nor would she agree to tell him, if any of the scars on her back had been put there by him when he'd been under the influence of the Erudite sim. It was a thought that occasionally haunted him, woke him up at night, but it was one she would not allow to take root. Whenever he sunk into a brooding silence, she was there, her presence soothing and accepting. He wondered, occasionally, if she realized how often she'd saved him.

Her back muscles were now soft and pliant so he leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss between her shoulder blades. He sat back. "How does that feel?" he asked, his voice deep with arousal.

Tris wiggled from under him and turned over. Her eyes had darkened to gray and were full of lust. "I think you forgot the front."

Four grabbed the discarded shirt and wiped his hands. "So I did," he murmured, "what a terrible oversight."


	11. Genetics (T)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This musing is related to Waking Up in Dauntless in a potential post-Allegiant film fic that it would be nice to write one day. I am NOT a scientist so the science is probably wrong. If you are and find the idea intriguing, I'd love for you to contact me with some ideas. Again, I emphasize this is unedited so if there are errors, take heart, it's the last one.

xXx

"So Providence wants some proof, some reassurance that investing resources in Chicago will be worthwhile in the end. If Tris is the only pure example we can provide, they are not willing to invest in what they consider a failed experiment." Tobias finished his briefing to the Council and, as he'd expected, he was met with frowns from around the table.

"I resent having to prove anything to them," Jack said, frowning. "It was their administrator that created this situation."

"I don't see why we need them." Evelyn was resentful and she crossed her arms across her chest, her body language combative. "We are self-sustaining. We have no need for these bureaucratic overseers."

Tobias looked at his mother out of the corner of his eye. "We are 200 years behind them in technology. We may be able to take care of ourselves but we can't fend off the Bureau alone. And to be perfectly honest, we could use their technology." Evelyn frowned at him. Tobias met her gaze evenly, the staring contest only broken when Caleb cleared his throat.

"I think we do have something we can tell Providence," he said. All eyes turned to him and the petite blonde next to him. "Cara has been working to understand the genetic research we downloaded before we sent the ship back." Caleb nudged Cara gently. "Tell them, Cara."

Cara tucked a piece of hair behind her ear and cleared her throat nervously. "I think David has been looking at the DNA the wrong way," she said haltingly. "That is, I think he misinterpreted the results. He, like Jeanine, was so concentrated on proving his own pet theory that he missed what the data was actually telling him."

"What do you mean?" Johanna asked.

"I think he overlooked the significance of Tobias Eaton's genetic results." She typed into the computer and on the screen, two different sets to gene sequences appeared. "Here are their two gene sequences. The left side is Tris, the right, Tobias. As you can see here," Cara pointed, "their results look nearly identical in most places. But, this section," Cara zoomed in on a portion of the picture, "is a particular portion of the sequence that I believe is relevant to divergence. I compared this to the other divergents Jeanine tested. They all look the same. These genes are what determine what we consider to be divergence, or more specifically, serum resistance. They are what the Bureau looked for first to determine if an individual was pure or healed." Cara shook her head, her voice becoming more confident as she talked about her theory. "But I think this sequence is only what causes divergents to be serum resistant and it doesn't have another meaning."

"But I'm not," Tobias blurted out. Tris squeezed his hand and started to protest but he cut her off. "I'm not serum resistant. I wasn't able to break out of Jeanine's enhanced serum."

Cara spoke before Tris could, "You would have eventually."

Tobias shook his head. "No, Tris broke me out."

"Actually she didn't," Cara's voice was gentle, not wanting to seem as though she was insulting Tris. "She merely provided you with a tether to reality; a touchstone, if you will. Her voice was what cut through the simulation so that you could bring yourself out, but she wouldn't have been able to do that unless you weren't genetically predisposed to resistance. If it were as simple as talking someone out of it, she would have been able to break my brother out. But she couldn't," Cara said quietly as she took a ragged breath. "That's because Will wasn't genetically predisposed to resistance."

There was silence in the room. Tris squirmed in her chair, uncomfortable, until Tobias squeezed her hand. She looked up at him and he brought their joined hands to his lips, his eyes telling her he was here for her; she wasn't alone.

Cara shook her head slightly, pushing away unhappy memories. In some ways, she carried as much guilt as Tris; after all, Cara herself had worked with Jeanine on the serum before she knew what Jeanine's intentions were. "Anyway, I think the Bureau was so busy concentrating on an absolutely unchanged genetic code that they missed this." She typed a moment and the picture zoomed in on a portion of Tobias' genetic sequence. "I think they thought these portions here and here were evidence of genetic damage because it is different than Tris', probably different from all other genes they considered pure." She pulled up another sequence. "For comparison, these are old gene sequences, ones genetically manipulated during the Era of Eugenics. I found them in the archives where the Ritter tape was kept. See how different they are from Tris'? But, they are also different from Tobias'. I found this mutation from Tobias in the other divergents Jeanine tested. These genes are not manipulated, nor did they go back to what they were before; they've changed. I think they've evolved. I'm willing to bet we will see some kind of adaptation in every serum resistant person."

It was Tris who broke the silence that had fallen in the room. "What does that mean?"

Cara took another deep breath. "It means Tobias, and others like him, have adapted to the combination of pure and manipulated genes he inherited." She gestured to Tris. "Tris is genetic good luck. At some point, a child will happen to inherit pure genes from both parents and wind up genetically pure. That's simple probability because during the Age of Eugenics, people didn't change every single gene in every single person. But it is too random to fully duplicate or anticipate. The DNA code is far too complex. Tobias is much more likely to be what the Founders expected. Genes don't "heal" and go back. They move forward. Just like they have in Tobias."

She looked around the room at the stunned group. "We can tell Providence we have seen a change in people in Chicago. The experiment was a success." Cara looked directly at Tobias. "You're the future, Tobias. The next step in human evolution."


	12. FWB (T)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have had this idea for a friends with benefits relationship for a while now. I know there are some good ones on FFN but most of them seem to have a different premise or are an Eric/Tris fic. Sorry but I just can’t deal with Eric/Tris; it confuses the hell out of me. Anyway, here’s just a little scene towards the end of the plot outline I had.

“So where’s Tobias?” Uriah asked as he reached for another slice of pizza.

Tris froze, her ears perking up. She casually reached for more Fritos and settled back against the couch, resting on Robert’s legs. She wasn’t sure why but there was a pit in her stomach. Tobias never missed a football game.

“He’s in Springfield,” Zeke said.

“Again?” Uriah’s eyes were wide. “This is the third time in the last couple of months, right? Wow, things with Rana must be getting pretty serious.”

“Rana?” Tris asked sharply.

Marlene nodded. “Yeah, the girl he’s been seeing. She’s at the Springfield office but he’s been out there a bunch recently.”

“I thought he was there upgrading the security system.” Tris stopped eating the Fritos and was glad she was sitting on the floor in front of Robert. She wasn’t sure what she was feeling and didn’t want to answer any questions.

“He is,” Marlene confirmed, “but I’m sure seeing Rana is a big plus.  Why else would he stay the weekend?” She laughed. “You did a great job there, Christina.”

“What?”

“Chris introduced them,” Zeke said quietly.

Tris looked up sharply at her best friend. Christina met her gaze evenly. Tris settled back against the couch, avoiding Christina’s view, but it was too late.  Christina had caught the anger in Tris’ gaze. Christina and Zeke exchanged a look; it seemed things were finally going to come to a head.

It did after everyone had left. Will and Robert headed out back to look at the greenhouse Will wanted to build for Christina’s expanding vegetable garden. Tris had volunteered to help Christina clean up in the kitchen.

“So who is this Rana?” Tris asked, trying to keep her voice even.

Christina heard the sharpness in Tris’ tone, however. “She’s my counterpart in PR but in the Springfield office. She was here a couple of months ago to talk about the new ad campaign and I introduced her to Tobias. They seemed to hit it off.” Christina stacked the dishes in the dishwasher and turned to look at her friend. “Okay, out with it. You’re pissed.”

Tris sealed the top of a Rubbermaid container with a little more force than necessary. “I guess I’m just surprised you introduced him to someone, that’s all.”

Christina crossed her arms across her chest. “Why not?” she challenged. “Tobias is an awesome guy. He deserves to be happy.”

“Dammit, Christina, you know that’s not what I mean.” Tris turned around and fixed her friend with a glare. “You could have told me you did it. You were one of the only people to know about us. You knew I would want to know.”

“Honestly, I didn’t,” she shot back. “As far as I knew, you left Tobias behind and are happy with Robert. What, did you want to keep Tobias in your back pocket for when you got tired of Robert?”

Tris took a step back, surprised by Christina’s venom. “No, of course not.”

“Really?” Christina continued, “because from what he told me, you were all like oh hey I met somebody else I want to play around with. See you.”

Tris shook her head, her indignation now dissolving into a slightly sick feeling. That wasn’t what he thought, was it? “It wasn’t like that. I told him I met somebody and we parted ways. That was the agreement from the beginning.”

Christina rolled her eyes. “Get off it, Tris. He is in love with you. You knew that. You two were getting closer. We all saw it. Then, next thing I know, you’re all on Robert, bringing him to all our group things, practically shoving him in Tobias’ face. You weren’t fair and you damn well know it.”

Tris’ shoulders sagged. She had to admit, she’d gone full steam ahead with Robert and maybe she had been a little too eager to bring Robert into their group of friends. “It was supposed to be casual.” She said quietly.

Christina sighed, “Yeah, I know, but Tris, it wasn’t. At least it wasn’t for him. If he has a chance at happiness, shouldn’t he take it?” She paused, considering what else to tell her. Finally, she plunged ahead. “You need to know he’s considering moving permanently to Springfield.”

Tris’ head snapped up. “What?”

“The director of computer security in the Springfield office is retiring. Tobias is in line for the job even though Springfield is a smaller office.” Christina paused, letting her words sink in. She knew she had a chance to finally say what had been on her mind since Tris and Tobias started their friends with benefits relationship. “Tris, figure out what you want. You and Tobias have been circling around each other since college. It’s now or never.”

At that moment, they heard the sliding glass door open and Robert and Will entered.  Robert smiled at Tris, not noticing the tension in the room. “Hey, Tris, you done?”

Tris nodded. “I think so.”


	13. The First Time (M)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have a ton of random scenes for a staying in Abnegation fic. I’ve never really finished it and probably never will because I think some of the themes might work better with other plots. Once again, this is from my getting-into-Four’s-head phases so it is written from his POV. Obviously I’m not a boy so I’m not sure how well this works.
> 
> But in the meantime, some friends needed smut so, I’ll oblige. I’m a good friend like that! ;-)

Tris and I walk back to my house in silence, our fingers entwined.  The moon is so bright tonight we actually have to try and stick to the shadows to ensure we aren’t seen.   As expected, Abnegation is quiet but there’s always the chance Dauntless will be patrolling the parameter.  Once we reach the safety of the Abnegation streets, I feel a bit better because Dauntless patrols usually do not sweep the inner streets of our sector.  Still, we move as quickly and quietly as we can.  We enter my house, opening and closing the door slowly so as not to make a sound.  As Tris turns on the small solar lantern, I drop onto the couch.  I lean forward, my elbows on my knees.  I cradle my head in my hands, rubbing my temples to relieve the brewing headache.  Tris sits next to me, her hand running through my hair soothingly.

“Can I get you anything?”  She asks, concerned.

I shake my head.  We sit in silence for a while before I say, “How could she be so hateful?”  I ask.  Evelyn seemed every bit as cold and controlling as Marcus.  How in the world could I have come from two such selfish people?

“I don’t know,”  Tris says quietly.  After a moment, she says hesitantly, “She was wrong, you know.  I would never betray you to Marcus.”

That makes me straighten and look at her.  I grab the hand she was running through my hair and press it to my lips.  “I know that.  I trust you, Tris.”

She gives me a slight smile.  “Good.  Even if there was something I thought we should hear from Marcus, I’d talk to you about it first.  You’re my priority, not this faction.”

As I look into those clear gray eyes, I wonder how in the world she could think that I would ever doubt her. I lean forward and kiss her lightly.  “And you’re mine.”  I lean my forehead on hers. 

“I love you, Tobias.”

“I love you.” 

She touched her fingers to my lips. “I don’t want you to doubt me, Tobias.”  She said, a worried tone in her voice.  My mother had really gotten to her, I realize.  Made her question whether I really trusted her, whether this was all for divergent program.

Suddenly, I realize what I need to do to prove to her that I’m committed to her and not our jobs or our faction.  I slide off the couch, turning to face her and kneel in front of her.  I take her hands in mine and stare into her eyes.  She looks a little confused.  “Beatrice Prior, I promise to love you for the rest of our lives, no matter what.”  I take a deep breath and squeeze her hands lightly.  “Will you marry me?”

She smiles.  “We’re already betrothed, remember?”  She teases.

I shake my head.  “No, this is different.”  I hold her gaze with my own.  “This is me asking.  This is us.  Nothing else.”

She leans forward and kisses me.  “Yes,”  she murmurs against my lips.  I can’t help the broad grin.  I pull her into a long hug as she laughs softly in my ear.  Her warm breath caresses me and I feel her press her lips to my neck in a kiss.  I squeeze her.  I can’t believe how much I’ve grown to love her.  And I want her, more than I’ve ever wanted anything.

My hands glide down her sides and grasp her hips.  I kiss her deeply and she responds, her arms around my neck, her hands twining in my hair.  We kiss, over and over, our hands roaming over each other.  Our kisses become more heated and I pull her towards me so that our bodies are pressed against each other.  I ease her back so she’s resting against the back of the couch, me partially on top of her.  I slide my hands along her thighs, pushing her skirt up so I can touch her soft skin.  This is territory we’ve explored before but tonight, I feel bolder.  I want to go further.  And if the glide of her tongue in my mouth is any indication, so does she.   She hums with pleasure as my hands caress the smooth skin of her thighs.  I lightly trace figures on her knee and then begin moving them along the inside of her thighs. 

She gasps, breaking the kiss and her head falls back.  I follow, my lips trailing down her neck.  There’s a fire burning in the pit of my stomach.  I want her, all of her.  I want to take her, brand her as mine, and mine alone.  As my fingers brush her center, she raises her hips to meet my hand.  Taking it as a sign of acquiescence, I trace the elastic along her underwear, kissing the skin beneath her ear.  She groans as I slide my fingers across her, then beneath the elastic, tracing her moist folds.  My head begins to spin as I kiss my way back to her lips and she opens her mouth for me eagerly, her tongue aggressively caressing mine.  Her hips begin moving as I slip one, then two fingers into her.  She groans against my lips and I realize I have no more self-control.  I have to have her.

I don’t stop kissing her as I set up a rhythm, thrusting my fingers into her then removing them to slide upwards and rub her gently.  I do this over and over until I feel her thighs begin to shake.  We’re no longer kissing, but our lips are resting against each other as she gulps in air.  She is grasping my shoulders so hard, I think she’ll leave bruises.  I hope she does.  I want her to brand me as hers as much as I want to do the same.  She squeezes her eyes closed and lets out a moan.  I feel her clench around my fingers and I keep moving them in and out until she collapses back against the back of the couch. 

I watch as she struggles to catch her breath and, all of a sudden, doubt creeps in.  Did I push her too far?  Why hasn’t she said anything?  She gradually sits up and opens her eyes.  Without a word, she stands and I become even more nervous.  I watch as she smooths the skirt down her legs.  She doesn’t look at me but she reaches for my hand and I take it, allowing her to urge me to my feet.  She reaches for the lantern and begins walking toward the back of the house.  I trail behind her, confused until I realize that she’s leading me into my bedroom.  I stop at the door, “Wait, Tris.”

She turns and looks at me quizzically.  “We – um, we, don’t have to do anything you aren’t ready for,” I stammer.

“Don’t you want to?”  She asks and I nod stupidly.

“Yeah, but we can wait if you want.  Until we’re married.”

She steps close to me and brushes her lips across mine.  “We’re officially engaged now, aren’t we?”  Again, I nod. “And you love me, don’t you?”  Another stupid nod.  _Jesus, Tobias, get it together!_   She smiles.  “Then timing doesn’t matter.”  Her eyes sparkle in the dim light and I feel that burn in my stomach again.

With a silly grin on my face, I follow her into the bedroom.  She places the lantern on the table next to the bed and, with her back to me, she begins to unpin her hair.  I stand, dumbstruck, as those honey colored waves fall down her back.  She turns to smile at me and I can’t breathe.  She begins to undress, her eyes on me.  When she stands in her underwear, she turns to pull back the sheets.

For some reason, this spurs me into action and I yank off my shirt, toeing off my shoes at the same time.  I remove my pants and underwear as she finishes undressing and climbs into the bed.  She lies down and I join her, stretching out on top of her.  We kiss leisurely, her hands caressing my back. 

Neither of us has done this before but I have the advantage of having friends in Dauntless who talk about this – a lot.  Zeke often over-shares about sex as a way to tease me.  The upside is that there’s a few tips I’ve picked up along the way.  I trail my lips down Tris’ body, stopping at her small breasts.  I tongue each nipple, going back and forth between them as Tris gasps and moans.  After a while, I move my way down, dipping my tongue in her belly button.  I slowly push open her legs and she starts to sit up.  “Tobias –” I just grin at her.

She groans and falls back when I reach out lick her.  Her hands tangle in my hair.  I’m not entirely sure what I’m doing but from her sounds, I’m doing it right.  I follow the path my fingers blazed on the couch and soon, I’m feeling her thighs shake again. I slide my fingers into her again and my tongue concentrates on her clit.  She groans and finally stiffens, tightening around my fingers.  I keep at it until she gasps, “Enough,” and tugs me up towards her.

When I face her again, she grasps my head, pulling me down to kiss her fiercely.  I settle between her legs and she reaches down and grasps me firmly.  It is now my turn to groan and I’m shocked at how bold she’s being.  In this moment, she is no longer Abnegation, she is Dauntless through and through.  She guides me into her and I push forward.  She stiffens and bites down on her bottom lip.  I freeze.  “Are you okay?”

She nods and squeezes her eyes shut for a moment.  I don’t move until her eyes open and she says, “keep going.”

I continue pushing until I’m fully embraced by her.  She holds herself stiffly as I begin moving in and out.  After a few minutes, though, I feel her body begin to soften.  Once she relaxes, I begin to feel bolder, moving faster.  Her legs raise and wrap around me.  I couldn’t stop my body now if I wanted to.  I have never felt anything like this.  She’s hot, wet, tight, all the things I could possibly ask for and have wondered about since I learned what sex was.  Her hands are gripping my back, urging me on with soft moans directly in my ear.  All too soon, I feel the pressure build and white hot lightening sizzles along my spine.  I groan into her neck, her arms holding me tight.  I collapse on top of her, for a moment unable to move.  I feel dazed.  Nothing I’d ever heard about from Zeke, nothing I’d read in books, nothing I’d  been taught in health class even came close to describing what I’m feeling right now.  Then, I realize I’m probably crushing her and force myself to flop at her side.  She snuggles into me, her head on my chest.  I wrap my arms around her waist and pull her tightly against me.  I take a deep breath and close my eyes.  This is heaven.

xXx 

I must’ve fallen asleep because the next thing I know, I’m opening my eyes.  I glance at the clock and can just barely make out the time in the dim light.  It is only about 3:15 am so there’s plenty of time to get Tris back to the dorm.  We are still a few weeks from the end of initiation and I don’t want to do anything that could get her into trouble.  The bed beside me is empty so I glance around the room to find her.  Tris is standing by the dresser, sliding her panties up her legs, her back to me.  She uses my hairbrush to brush out her hair.  I can actually feel the dopey smile grow on my face as I watch her.  Someday soon, I’ll be able to watch her do this every day.  This beautiful woman will be my wife.  She’ll eat with me, sleep with me, grow old with me.  She’ll be the mother of my children.

Children.

I bolt up.

Tris must have sensed my movement because she turns to me, a slight frown on her face.  “Are you okay?  Did you have a nightmare?”  She crosses the room to sit on the bed next to me.

I grab her hand.  “Tris, Tris, I’m so sorry!”  Her frown deepens as I stammer on.  “I was so caught up, I didn’t even think about protection.  We’ll get married as soon as initiation is over, just in case.  Oh, God, I –"

She leans forward and kisses me softly.  When she pulls back, I see the small smile on her lips.  “Tobias, relax.  It’s okay.  I’ve been on the birth control shot since I was 13.”

Relief floods me.  “Oh good.  I was…” I break off as I realize what she said.  “What?  The shot….what?”

She chuckles.  “Tobias, I’m about to let you in on one of the biggest secrets we Abnegation women have.  Many of us go on the shot when we start menstruating.”

I can barely process what she’s saying.  “Why?”  Is all I can choke out.

Her soft smile disappears.  “Rape isn’t unheard of, you know.”  At my frown, she continues.  “We work a lot with the factionless men.  It has been a while but we have been attacked before.”

I’m speechless.  But, as I think about it, it makes total sense.  Many of the Abnegation women will go into the factionless sectors alone or in groups of only women. 

Tris continues.  “Some women don’t do it.  They believe if the man is so desperate he will attack a woman then the selfless thing to do is let him have his way and if a child comes from that, so be it.”  She shakes her head.  “Others of us believe that it would be selfish to have a child that can’t be properly cared for in a family.  It would harm the child, the woman and all of society, so it is better to be safe.  When I was 13, my mom pulled me aside and asked me what I would prefer.  We talked about it and I decided I’d rather be safe.”  She bows her head.  “Part of it was because I wasn’t sure if I would stay in Abnegation.  If I had a child, I’d have no choice but to stay or let the child go factionless.”  She shakes her head.  “I just couldn’t do that.”

I brush her hair behind her ear and lift her chin so I can meet her gaze.  “I want to tell you to stop going into the factionless sector,”  I say bluntly.  She starts to speak but I beat her to it.  “But I know you can’t so I’m glad you’re protected from that.  But if it does happen,” I stare deeply into her eyes so she can see my sincerity, “I’ll marry you anyway.”  And I’d kill the bastard with my bare hands. 

She kisses me.  “I love you.”  She gets up and finishes dressing.  I also get up and reach for my discarded clothes.  As she pulls her hair back, she says, “You don’t have to walk me back to the dorm, you know.”

I laugh and pull my shirt over my head.  “After what you just told me?”  I tease.

She walks over to me and wraps her arms around my waist.  “I don’t want to leave.”  She says, leaning her head on my chest.

I squeeze her. “I don’t want you to either.”  I tilt her chin up to look at me.  I brush my lips across hers.  “Soon, you won’t have to.”


	14. Sweet Thing (T)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well I can’t seem to get that plotline about Tris as a world-weary singer spending time alone in a cabin with sexy chef, Tobias. While I’m still filling out the details, this little scene popped into my head. This is short and sweet but it may help jiggle something loose....I hope. I do love me some Chaka Khan.

As Tris folded her laundry, she found herself humming lightly. The sound took her by surprise. For the first time in weeks, the music in her head was a welcome companion and not a stressful burden. A slight smile quirked her lips. Maybe, just maybe, her dad and Caleb had a point. Maybe she had needed a break.

She reached down for a shirt and her soft smile bloomed as she realized it was one of Tobias'. Maybe it was insane, starting a relationship like this, while she was still so at odds. But being with him felt so natural, so real, Tris could not bring herself to regret it. As she folded another of his shirts, the hum blossomed into song.

"Sweet thing. Don't you know you're my everything? Oh sweet thing. Don't you know you're my everything? Yes you are." She sang softly.

As she continued to fold, her voice grew louder, stronger, and soon she was belting out Chaka Khan with the full range of her stage trained voice.

"You're my heat. You are my fire. Though you're not mine, I can't deny you." Her eyes closed as she moved her hips to the tune in her head. “Don't you hear me talking baby? Love me now or I'll go crazy." Tris' voice, strong and pure, echoed through the living room.

"Oh I hear you." The softly amused voice broke through her reverie and Tris whirled around to see Tobias leaning against the doorway, smiling broadly. She chuckled. 

"I didn't know you were back," she accused, amusement tinging her voice.

"Clearly." He pushed away from the door and walked slowly towards her. "I've always loved your voice. I've missed it."

"I seem to have found it again."

"Hmm." He grasped her hips and pulled her towards him. Tobias bent and gently brushed his lips against hers. "There's only one thing," he whispered, hovering just above her mouth.

"What? " she asked, suddenly breathless.

"I am yours." He said before lowering his head and taking her mouth firmly.


	15. The Mailroom (M)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, it's been a while and there I go stopping before the good stuff!

Tris gave a huge sigh as she unlocked the back door to the dorm’s front desk. Eight forty five AM was really too early to be up on a Sunday morning but it was the hardest shift to fill so Tris had reluctantly volunteered.

She bent down and grabbed the stack of newspapers and dropped them on the mailroom counter. She stood quietly in the mailroom for a moment, trying to think through the cotton in her brain. The Sunday papers were too large to fit in the mailboxes so students with subscriptions would have to come to the desk to get their copy.

Tris shuffled over to the safe and twirled the dial. She really wished she’d stopped over at the cafe for a coffee but she’d been running late. She and Christina hadn’t had much time together between work, classes and Will and Tobias, so when Christina found out Tobias was on duty, she’d put off her plans to spend the night with Will so she and Tris could indulge in a long-overdue girls night. They’d gotten a bunch of hard cider and junk food and pigged out while watching Grease 1 and 2.

Tris finally managed to get the combination lock open and ruefully decided that she should not have had four bottles of hard cider. She pulled out the blue zippered bag and carefully counted out the money for the cash register. After filling the register, she glanced at the clock and decided to just go ahead and open the wooden roll-top door that covered the front desk.

The dorm was, not surprisingly, silent. Most people were still in their rooms, sleeping off the excess of the Saturday party night. Tris pulled her comparative religion text out of her bag and pretended to read it but the words kept swimming on the page. After a moment, she wondered why in the world she thought she could concentrate on that class after last night. Then the back door opened and she grinned.

“So I told the stupid kid to dump the red cup of crap and go sleep that shit off.” Lynn’s voice was, as usual, annoyed. She came through the door, twirling the resident advisor’s master keys around her fingers. Tris heard the deep chuckle from the man behind Lynn.

Tobias.

Tris rose from the table and wandered back to the mailroom where Lynn and Tobias were putting away the keys and filing their duty logs from the previous night. The RAs kept their filing cabinet and master keys in the mailroom behind the front desk. Lynn looked up and rolled her eyes when she saw that Tris and Tobias only had eyes for each other.

“Hi guys.” Tris said.

“Hey, Tris.”

“Hi.” Tobias said, his voice slightly husky. He reached out and handed Tris a large paper cup. “I figured you might need this.”

Tris took the cup and sipped at the tall vanilla latte. She smiled gratefully. “How’d you know?”

He grinned. “You and Christina were pretty giggly when I called last night. Figured you had had one too many.”

Lynn looked up from the clipboard where she was making notes. “What’d you guys do last night?”

“Chick flick marathon. Grease 1 and 2 but we fell asleep on High School Musical.” Tris grinned at Lynn over her coffee. Lynn shook her head.

“Musicals? That’s just pathetic. And Grease 2 sucks.” Lynn said, noting the previous night’s incidents on the master log.

“But clearly you’ve seen it.” Tobias teased. Lynn flipped him her middle finger and he grinned.

Tris looked back at Tobias, who was leaning against the mailboxes. His dark blue eyes were drinking her in, his arms crossed across his chest.  
Tris admired the muscles in his chest and sipped her coffee slowly, running her lips along the edge, wishing it was his lips and not her cup. His arms were so muscular, the blue t-shirt hugged his biceps. Tris knew exactly how tightly those arms held her, how easily they seemed to hold him up when he was hovering over her, thrusting inside her. As though he read her mind, Tobias licked his lips.

Lynn rolled her eyes as she closed the file drawer. “Jesus, I’m done. You two can make out now.” She turned and left without another word.

Tobias shook his head. “She’s so grumpy.” He said.

Tris put down her coffee. “She’s just jealous she isn’t getting laid.” She walked over to him and ran her hands up his chest to wind around his neck. “Hi.” She said, rising on her tiptoes to kiss him.

Tobias slid his arms around her waist, hauling her against his hard body. He drew small circles on the small of her back, setting off little fissions of energy along her spine. He slowly lowered his head, brushing his lips lightly across hers, then tracing them with his tongue. Tris clutched his biceps as he teased her, heightening the tension until she thought she would scream, then he covered her mouth firmly with his. Tris lost all sense of time and place. Kissing Tobias did that to her every time.

The backs of her thighs hit something hard and she realized he’d pushed her against the mailroom counter. She ran her fingers under his shirt so she could clutch the warm skin of her back. He grasped her hips and lifted her so she was sitting on the counter, then moved between her legs, pressing himself against her firmly. His lips left hers and trailed across her neck.

Tris started to moan then remembered where she was and stifled the sound. There was no one moving around in the hallways but they were facing an entire row of mailboxes. If someone opened their mailbox, they would see them making out. A wicked idea entered her mind as Tobias touched her. Should she….?  
Her fingers traced the top of his jeans and she popped the button.


	16. Tris Learns to Shoot (T)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know there are about a billion Tris learning to shoot scenes so I figured what the hell, I'll add one too! I actually wrote this after the last time I spent the day on the range. To be honest, I prefer a shotgun or M4 to a handgun but that didn't fit with the story. This is actually a scene in a larger fic I've been playing with in my head for about a year. Again, maybe one day....

“Plant your feet shoulder width apart.” He adjusted Tris’ stance. “Evenly distribute your weight so that you’re not resting on your toes.” He wrapped her hand around the handle of the Glock. “Okay, wrap your fingers around, like this. Other hand on top. Yeah, good.” One of her hands wrapped around the gun’s handle and Tris wrapped the other hand on top of it. He tucked her top thumb down. “Keep this out of the way. It’ll get cut if you don’t.”

“Okay.” The gun felt heavy and foreign in her hand. Learning to shoot had been her idea but now that they were here, Tris was a bit nervous. Tris moved her head from side to side, loosening her neck.

“Relax.” Tobias said, amusement in his voice. “Don’t lock your elbows. Look down the barrel.” He leaned over her shoulder. “You see those two little protrusions?”

“Yeah.”

“Center the target between them. Got it?”

“Yeah.”

He stepped back a little. “Okay, just lightly pull the trigger. You don’t have to squeeze it too hard.”

Tris slowly pulled her finger back. The gun fired with a loud bang. The recoil wasn’t horrible but she felt the vibrations up and down her arm. “Wow.” She said. She looked to the paper target and was disappointed. “I missed.” She groaned.

He chuckled. “Most people don’t hit it on the first try.” He teased. “Let’s go again.”

Tris emptied the clip but still didn’t hit the target. She put the gun down on the ledge in front of her with a groan. “What am I doing wrong?” She asked, frustrated. She pulled off her ear protection.

“Nothing.” Tobias said, draping his ear protection around his neck. He gently placed his hands on her shoulders. “This isn’t exactly easy, you know.”

She sighed. “You hit in the center every time.” She said, her tone slightly accusatory.

“I’ve been doing this since I was 13.” He rubbed her shoulders, his thumbs digging into her now tense muscles. “This was the first activity my uncle did with me when I moved on base with him. He thought it would help build my confidence, give me a way to make me feel like I could protect myself. I needed it after my father's bullshit.” His voice was soothing. Tris leaned back into him a little more. “You just need to relax. You’ll get it.” He felt her shoulders relax as he massaged them and ran his hands down the sides of her arms.

“You’re doing fine,” he murmured.

She reached up and squeezed his hand. The calm confidence in his voice was reassuring. “Thanks. Let’s go again.”

“Okay.” He reached around her and grabbed the gun. He ejected the empty clip and put in a new one. Tris watched him, slightly in awe of the ease with which he handled the gun. He handed it back to her. “Ready?” He put the earplugs in his ear and Tris did the same.

She nodded and held the gun the way he’d taught her. She raised her arms. She checked to make sure her feet were shoulder width apart, her weight evenly distributed. She took a deep breath, centered the target and lightly pulled the trigger.

She hit the corner of the target.

“I did it!” She flipped the safety and turned around to face him, her eyes shining. “I really did it!”

He chuckled. “I told you, you could.”

She laughed. “Let’s do it again!”

Tris kept firing, hitting the target more often than not. By the time Tobias loaded the third clip, she was feeling much more confident and was actually getting closer to the body shaped outline. On the very last bullet, she actually hit inside the outline. She put the gun down and ripped off her ear protection. Tobias was grinning as he pulled the earplugs out of his ears. Tris turned to him, throwing herself in his arms.

“That was amazing!” She said.

He hugged her tightly, laughing with her. “You did great.”

She looked up at him. “Thank you for teaching me.” Leaning up on her tiptoes, she brushed her lips across his. She pulled back and they stared at each other. Tension flared between them as his dark blue eyes met hers. Deliberately, giving her plenty of time to back away, Tobias lowered his head and took her mouth with his.

Tris twined her arms around his neck and parted her lips. He pressed their bodies tightly together as his tongue swept into her mouth. Tobias was certain he’d never tasted anything sweeter than she was. He felt her fingers play with the hair at the back of his neck and it took everything in him not to grind himself against her. Her lips were so soft against his and she raised up on her toes, snuggling her body against him. He didn’t think he’d ever been as turned on by a simple kiss as he was at that moment.

The need for air drove them apart. Tris lowered to her feet, staring at him. She ran her fingers across the edge of his jaw. “I’ve been hoping you’d do that for weeks.” She whispered.

He smiled at her. “Good. Then you won’t object if I do it again.”

She laughed lightly. “I think I could stand it.” She teased. They were both smiling as he bent his head to kiss her again.


	17. A Tempting Arrangement (M - language)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My ever wonderful beta, Eunice339, asked for a little more from my half written story featuring Tobias as an actor and Tris as his real/fake girlfriend. So, here it is! This picks up right after Tori manages to convince Jeanine that Tris would be a better publicity girlfriend for Tobias than Lauren.

Tris sat on her couch, folding laundry. The simple monotonous chore felt comforting, as had cleaning her bedroom and bathroom earlier. Tori hadn’t fired her for the picture but had advised that she stay home for the next few days in order to allow Tori time to get everything under control. Tris understood but it felt like she was waiting for the other shoe to drop, especially since they had no idea how Dauntless Studios would take Tori’s proposal.

And Tobias, telling her that she didn’t have to pose as his girlfriend, what was that about? She thought they’d had a real connection over dinner. And God knew that kiss had been beyond anything she’d ever felt before. Last night, she would have said he thought the same. But his reluctance to accept Tori’s proposal had her questioning herself and what she thought it meant. She placed the neatly folded towel on top of the others in her basket and sighed.

The knock on her door took her a bit by surprise. She wasn’t expecting anyone but maybe Tori had come in person to fire her because Dauntless said no. Pushing herself off the couch, she just opened the door without looking in the peephole.

“Tobias!” Tris’ hand flew up to the messy bun she had her hair in. Of course, he would show up when she had no makeup on and was dressed in an old cotton long-sleeved t-shirt and sleep pants. Dressed casually in a black v-neck sweater and jeans that molded to his muscular thighs, he looked perfect.

“Hey.” He smiled at her a little sadly. She looked rumpled and comfortable and absolutely adorable. He hated that he was about to drag her into his world. “Can I come in?”

“Uh, yeah, sure.” She opened the door wider and stepped back, letting him in. She closed the door behind him and gestured to the chair. “Have a seat.” She hurried over, shoved the pile of unfolded towels in the basket and gave him an embarrassed smile. “Sorry, I was doing laundry.”

“Sure.” Instead of sitting in the armchair, he sat next to her on the couch and faced her. His expression was grim and Tris wasn’t sure she actually wanted to hear what he had to say.

“We just came from Jeanine Matthews’ office. She’s willing to go along with us.”

Tris smiled tentatively. “That’s good news, right?”

He shrugged. “I really don’t know.”

“Oh.” Tris’ heart sank and she looked down. Disappointment crashed in a tidal wave over her at hearing that he really didn’t want her as much as she wanted him.

“Hey, that’s not what I meant.” Tobias reached over and lifted her chin gently with his finger. He stared into her unsure grey eyes. “Tris, I don’t want to drag you into something like this if you don’t want it. This part of the life sucks. You deserve to have a private life without cameras being shoved in your face every minute of every day.”

“So do you.” She reached up and covered his hand with hers. “I know what this life is. It is my job,” she reminded him gently. “I wouldn’t have volunteered if I didn’t want to. I can handle this.”

Tobias turned his hand over so that he was holding it. “Knowing it is different than living it.”

“When those pictures came out, I was mortified. And thrilled.” They smiled at each other for a moment then Tris continued her confession. “I didn’t want to leave the other night. I wanted to stay with you.”

“I wanted you to stay.” He scooted closer to her. “I want to be with you, but without the pressure.”

“Well, we can’t do that so we’ll deal with the pressure.”

“I’m sorry about all this, Tris. I don’t want you to regret anything.”

“I think I’ll only regret not giving us a shot.”

Tobias reached up, cupped her face in his palm and brought her closer for a kiss. As his lips brushed hers, he felt the same electric spark he felt the other night. He pressed his lips firmly to hers and opened his mouth when she teasingly ran her tongue along his lip.

The next thing Tris knew, she was laying on top of him. She wasn’t sure if he’d pulled her on top of him or if she’d pushed him down on the couch. One hand tangled in her hair and the other pressed into her lower back, pressing their lower bodies together and Tris decided she absolutely did not care how they got there. After several long minutes, she raised her head. The heat in his dark blue eyes thrilled her but she knew this would be a tight rope walk for both of them. “I know this is going to sound silly, but do you mind if we slow things down a little?”

Tobias smiled. “Actually, under the circumstances, that is probably a good idea.” He chuckled a little as they sat up together. “Tori wants to see us both in her office to go over a tentative publicity plan. It’ll have to be approved by Dauntless Studios but we have a bit of control. She said any ideas you have are welcome.”

Tris felt a thrill. Designing a PR campaign had been her goal since coming to work for Tori. Certainly, she never thought to be the star of that campaign but she’d adjust.

“Okay,” she said, clapping her hands together, “got a minute? Want to get to work?”

He chuckled. “I’m yours. Do with me what you will.”

Tris’ eyes twinkled. “Well, that’s an interesting offer.” She teased. The smiles faded from both of them as the tension flared between them. Tris leaned forward and kissed him lightly.

“Tris,” he murmured against her lips, “you’re making it hard to keep to the slow thing.”

She leaned back, an impish grin crossing her face. For some reason, this man, this absolutely luscious man in front of her, was finding it hard to control himself. _Around her_. Tris felt a surge of power. “Okay, then, how about food?”

“Food?”

“Yeah. I haven’t eaten. Chinese?”

Tobias ran his hands across his face, trying to break the spell he felt like he was under. “Chinese. Yeah. Okay. Szechwan chicken.”

Reaching for the phone, Tris sent him a saucy grin, eyebrows raised. “Like it hot, do you?”

Tobias groaned. “Tris. Seriously. Stop.”

She laughed and dialed. After she ordered, she got up. “Let me change.”

“No, you look cute.”

“No I don’t.” She retorted. In her bedroom, she pulled out jeans and a t-shirt. She debated for a moment. Oh, the hell with it, she thought. She reached for a matching lacy bra and panties set and pulled them on. Even if Tobias never saw them, she would know they were there. She dressed swiftly and pulled her hair down, combing it out then pulled it back up into a ponytail.

When she made her way back into the living room, she saw him staring at one of her mother’s framed pictures on the wall. He turned to her, a surprised smile on his face. “Natalie Prior’s your mother?”

Tris smiled. “Yeah. I told you my mom was an artist.”

“Yeah but I didn’t put two and two together.”

“You like her work?”

Tobias turned around and pulled his shirt over his head. Tris gasped as she saw the massive tattoo on his back. More interesting were the five symbols tattooed down his back.

“Oh my God.” Tris walked over to him and touched his back lightly. She was so surprised, she barely noticed the slight tremor that went through him at her touch. “They’re my mom’s. It’s the value symbols from the _Dimensions_ series!” Tris touched each of the symbols, the fire, the clasped hands, the eye, the scales and the tree. Each symbol represented a different value, which in the series, corresponded to a different dimension in time in the five book series, written by Robert Black, Natalie’s cousin. The series had been a humungous success in the young adult literature world and had put Natalie Prior’s drawings on the map. They made her one of the most sought after artists in the fantasy business.

He nodded. “ _Dimensions_ was one of my favorite fantasy series growing up. I really identified with trying to find yourself through living the values like Michael did in the books. Your mom’s drawings were so incredible, they were what I wanted when I decided to get the tattoo.”

Tris stared at the black images, noticing they seemed to be slightly raised in some places and realized they were covering scars. “Wow.” Was all she could say. In addition to the symbols in line down his spine, flames wrapped around his sides and the very tips of the flames touched his neck. Tris had noticed them slightly peeking from the top of his shirt but hadn’t realized just how massive the tattoo was.

Tobias pulled his shirt back on and turned to look at her. “So, that was the big break you mentioned.”

Tris nodded, still feeling a little shell-shocked. She felt as though the tattoo connected her to Tobias, even before she met him. They stared at each other, each waiting for the other to make a move. A knock on the door broke the connection.

“Must be the food.” Tris hurried over to the door, grateful for the break. Tobias made her feel more with just a look than any other man ever had before. She opened the door, greeting the elderly delivery man. After signing for the credit card receipt, she took the bags and turned back to Tobias, who was now lounging on the couch. With his shirt back on. Tris was a little disappointed.

“Plates?” She asked.

“Nah, let’s just eat out of the carton.”

“Okay.” She brought the bag, and unpacked it, handing him his chicken and a pair of wooden chopsticks. They ate in silence for a minute.

“So,” Tris began, “what’s your schedule for the next few weeks? We have time for a couple of appearances together before the premier. I’m figuring Dauntless will want us on the red carpet.”

Tobias nodded and dug chicken out of the carton. “Let’s see. I’ve got a shoot for GQ in a couple of weeks. Next weekend, I’ve got a charity baseball game for an abused women and children’s shelter. I mentioned that one earlier.”

“The one you wouldn’t let Lauren go to?”

“Yeah. It’s too important to me to bring her along.”

Tris stared into her lo mein. “So, the stories are true, then?” She asked quietly.

Tobias looked up at her. “Let me ask you something. Do people fake stories of abuse so often here in Hollywood that an accusation is usually met with skepticism?”

Tris’ head snapped up. She met Tobias’ blue eyes steadily, her own wide with mortification. “No! Tobias, I didn’t mean to imply –”

Tobias waved it away with a flick of his chopsticks. “I know you didn’t. It’s just that I’ve been asked so often if it was true that I started to wonder. I figured you’d give me an answer.”

Tris put her carton of lo mein down on the coffee table and put her hand on his knee. “I think it’s just hard for people to believe that you, of all people, were abused as a kid. You’re smart, rich, talented, sexy. It just – stuff like that doesn’t happen to people like you.”

“Oh, it does.” He said. There was an awkward silence for a moment and Tobias began to regret that she felt badly. “So, you think I’m sexy?” He asked, hoping to remove the guilt he saw in her eyes.

Tris let out a surprised laugh and swatted at his knee. “You know damn well.”

Tobias put his chicken on the table next to her lo mein. Taking her hand, he pulled her on top of him. He traced her cheekbone with his fingers. He wanted her to know the truth and even though he wasn’t quite ready to tell her everything the tabloids missed, he did want to share something with her that no one else knew. “My father’s a real bastard. He belongs in that jail cell. I got the tattoo to cover the scars. You saw them, right?” She nodded. “Thought so. My father hit me regularly until I got big enough to hit back. So, what I told Fiona was true. All of it.”

Tris traced his lips with her finger. “I’m sorry, Tobias.”

He kissed her fingers. “Don’t be. It’s over for me now.” Inclining his head, he brushed his lips across hers.  

“Are you sure you want me to go to the baseball game with you? I mean, if it’s that personal, maybe I shouldn’t.”

Tobias shook his head. “No, I want you to go,” he said firmly. Sharing that part of him with her felt safe and he wanted to be sure she knew that.

Tris never believed in love at first sight. But here, now, laying on top of Tobias, staring into his eyes, she wondered if she’d always been wrong.


	18. Post Rooftop (T)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been asked a couple of times, including from my friends, when I'll write what happened the day after Rooftop Rendezvous. I had an idea and promptly got stuck. The only thing that came to me was the prequels. Maybe after I get that out of my system, the ending will present itself to me. The Writing Muse is a fickle bitch, lemme tell ya.

Tris poured herself a cup of rich, dark French Roast and doctored it lightly with cream and sugar.  Sipping appreciatively, she wandered over to the lounge chair, curled her legs under her, and stared out at the azure Mediterranean.  The sun sparkled like tiny diamonds along the rippling surface of the water and Tris resolved to talk Tobias into taking a dip later.  She figured it would be easy when she showed him the one-piece swimsuit she’d bought; the blue one that dipped low in the back, just barely covered her breasts and was cut high, scandalously so, on the hip.  She smirked a little and silently thanked Christina Monroe, her best friend and goddess of fashion, for the impromptu shopping trip they’d taken right before she left. She’d bought it with the intention of teasing Tobias but she knew now that their time for teasing each other was nearing its end.  Smiling into her coffee, Tris was pretty sure that Tobias would be asking her to marry him sooner rather than later.  Who’d have thought a simple night at a jazz club in Brooklyn would turn into this? 

Tris and Tobias had known each other nearly their entire lives as their fathers had both worked in the family business.  When Marcus has been named CEO of Prior-Eaton International Travel, he immediately named his childhood friend, Andrew Prior, as CFO.  At the time, Tobias had been 17, Tris, 15.  Over the next 10 years, they’d found themselves running into each other at various company functions, had even spent holidays together with their families, and had become casual friends.  They’d stayed that way until last Thanksgiving.  They had been coerced by their parents into attending the annual employee Thanksgiving dinner hosted by the company and had ended up sitting next to each other.  Tobias had kept her entertained all night, cracking jokes about who was brown-nosing their parents more and found they had a ton in common.  Tris had always assumed Tobias liked the society lifestyle and was surprised to learn he was as disdainful about it as she.  They both had an affinity for sweets, infinitely preferred football to baseball, and liked the same quiet town in Switzerland.  It was still early when the dinner ended so he’d impulsively invited her to his favorite jazz club.  They’d spent several hours tucked into a booth in the back of the club, Tobias’ arm thrown around the back of the booth, Tris tucked into his side.  They talked, laughed, all the while sipping smoky 18-year-old whiskey and listening to the smooth music.  The evening wove a sensual spell and before Tris knew it, Tobias was softly kissing her and soon after, they found themselves in a cab on the way to Tobias’ condo.

Tris had never had a more incredible evening and, to her surprise, there was no morning after awkwardness.  He’d made her eggs and she’d left him at the door of his building with a long, deep kiss good-bye.  Figuring that was that, she’d gone back to her hotel with memories of an unforgettable night. To her surprise, her family spent the following Christmas at the Eaton estate in Connecticut.  Making love in front of the fire late on Christmas Eve had sparked an unbelievable hunger in both of them. They'd spent a stolen weekend together at New Year's, then again at her mother's 50th birthday celebration. Then again, and again...

Tris drained her coffee.  Who knew a year of them meeting up at various times would turn from casual sex and good times into a love so deep, Tris couldn’t imagine spending one more day apart from him.  She rose and moved to the patio table, intent on pouring herself another cup of coffee.  She’d just put her cup down when arms enveloped her from behind.  Tris smiled, leaning back into Tobias as he swept her hair to the side, kissing her neck.  “Why aren’t you still in bed with me?”  He murmured.

“Because we have to go to brunch with our parents.”

Tobias dropped his arms and groaned.  “Seriously?”

Turning to him, Tris gave him a quick kiss good morning.  “Yeah.  Mom called this morning and said we were expected at brunch at 12:30. Coffee?”

“Yeah, thanks.”  He dropped into a lounge chair and sat back.  He looked up at her as she passed him a cup.  “Wait, she knew I was here?”

Tris chuckled, refreshing her own coffee.  “No, I think you were an enticement.  She told me we were having brunch with the Eatons and that Tobias would be there.”  Her eyes twinkled with amusement as she sat in a lounge chair next to him.  “I have a feeling my mom wants to set me up with you.  Check your room messages,” she said, sipping, “I suspect you have a similar message.”

Tobias nodded and glanced over his shoulder at the clock on the wall of her hotel room.  “12:30?”  He asked.  “Good, that’ll give us plenty of time to get to Cartier.”

Tris paused in bringing the cup to her lips.  “Cartier?  What’s at Cartier?”

He smiled at her over the rim of his coffee cup, his deep blue eyes shining.  “I figure you should wear your engagement ring to brunch.”

Tris raised an eyebrow.  “When did we get engaged?”  She laughed even as her heart sped up.

“Last night.  Don’t you remember?”  Tobias’ eyes sparkled as he drank his coffee.

She smiled a little, remember the husky sound of his voice as he whispered in her ear after they’d made love on the roof.  She took a deep breath to calm herself.  “You call that a proposal?”  She teased, putting her coffee cup down.

Tobias set his coffee cup next to hers on the table.  “Would this be better?”  He slid gracefully off the lounge chair and kneeled down on one knee in front of her.  Taking her hand in his, he said, “Beatrice, you’ve made me happier this last year than I thought possible.  I know, without a doubt, I’ll love you for the rest of my life.”  He kissed her hand lightly.  “Marry me.”

Tris swallowed the lump in her throat.  She’d hoped, prayed actually, that he’d ask.  It had become harder and harder to say good-bye each time they’d seen each other and this time, Tris had dreaded even the thought of them being apart.  Cupping his cheek in her free hand, she leaned forward and pressed her lips to his.  “Yes,” she murmured.

With a laugh, Tobias stood, pulling Tris with him and into his arms.

 


	19. A Nighttime Contact (T)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I swear, every time I see the Allegiant movie, I'm consumed with ideas on where the story could have gone if the Powers That Be weren't money grubbing morons and had simply planned better. Alas... all I need is one good lottery win and I'll be able to lock myself in a room for a month, watching the movie over and over and maybe I could finally write something with a definitive plot. Until then, here's a little something for fun. Oh and in my little post-Allegiant world, Nita isn't an enemy and there is no red rain. That was just stupid.

David strode down the hallway, his jaw set angrily. Conversations ceased as people respectfully stepped out of David’s way, giving him a wide berth. Matthew scurried behind him, sparing a glance at Nita as she stood off to the side. He gave an almost imperceptible nod of the head and she allowed herself a small smirk. David was in a perpetually bad mood since the Chicagoans went back to the city. What burned him most, she knew, was Tris’ rejection. Nita respected Tris for that.

Once David and his entourage were through the barracks on their way back to the tower, Nita grabbed her jacket, zipping it up as she walked to her patrol vehicle. In the few months since Chicago had blown a hole in the camouflage wall, the Bureau had taken to conducting night patrols to try and detect if they were making any journeys beyond the wall. The hole, plus the subsequent severing of the surveillance feed, had made it virtually impossible for the Bureau to monitor what happened inside the city. As Nita climbed in the car, she had a moment of admiration for the city dwellers. They had managed to effectively hold the current situation at a rather tense détente.

She paused outside of the checkpoint to have her credentials scanned then proceeded into the wasteland once she received the go ahead. A lot of the soldiers disliked the night patrol but Nita didn’t. She enjoyed the peace and quiet of the wasteland, the vast red land stretching to the horizon. There was something comforting about it, something that made her more comfortable there than inside the sterile walls of the Bureau. People thought the wasteland was dead but somehow she knew that wasn’t true. Occasionally on these nightly patrols, she was sure she’d seen the furtive movements of some small creature. Plus, during their raids on the Fringe camps, she knew it was possible to grow plants in the wasteland. The hard part was water but even that wasn’t impossible. In some of the Fringe camps, she’d seen some pretty sophisticated water gathering and storage systems that made the most of the unpredictable rainfall.

Nita glanced at her locator system and, figuring she was far enough from the Bureau, she typed in the commands to override the system. She didn’t know how it was done, but there was enough equipment on this patrol vehicle to mask her location if she needed it. And now, she needed it. The vehicle would send a false signal back to the Bureau so as not to alert security about her change in course and keep a rescue patrol from being deployed.

Decoy activated, she turned the vehicle and drove quickly to the damaged section of the camo wall. Pulling up alongside it, she parked the vehicle, leaving the headlights on for illumination. She was far enough from both the Bureau and Chicago that it got damn dark out there. She leaned over to the passenger side and felt beneath the seat, her fingers searching until she found it. Smiling, she pulled out the small disk. Reaching for her weapon, she carefully got out of the car. She’d been there just a moment before she saw headlights moving towards her. She leaned against the front of the vehicle awaiting her contact.

The vehicle slowed to a stop and a tall figure emerged, a flashlight in his hand. He moved with a grace that she’d admired since she’d met him. He stepped in the light and, as usual, her breath caught for a moment. He was ridiculously handsome but that wasn’t it. The eyes were a much darker blue and his skin was gold rather than pale but the dark hair, broad shoulders, muscular yet lanky build all reminded her of Vincent. Her heart clenched a little as she thought of her lost love. Shaking it off, she stood upright.

“Hey, Four,” she said, using his preferred name rather than his given one. She knew only Tris and his mother really called him Tobias.

“Hey, Nita,” he greeted. “It’s a little chilly tonight.”

She shrugged. “Winter comes no matter what. How are things going in the city?”

“Fine. I think we’ve finally gotten some headway in creating the new city council.”

“A common outside enemy helps,” Nita commented.

Tobias flashed a quick grin, “Sure does.”

“So will this.” She tossed him the disk. Tobias caught it with a deft hand. “Here’s all the info we have on the Fringe settlements between here and Providence. The ones in red are ones the Bureau has hit and would be the least receptive to you. We talked about it and we figured a settlement called St. Louis would be your best bet. It’s on what’s left of the river and used to be a city. There's some parts of an old road here and there that would make the trip a little easier. It’s really big so the Bureau hasn’t bothered it.” She gestured to the disk in Tobias’ hand. “That’s got all the maps, navigable routes and intel we have.”

Tobias nodded and tucked the disk into his pocket. “Thanks. And tell Matthew I said thanks too.”

Nita nodded. “You be careful there. David is still pretty pissed at Tris. And none too thrilled with you. Watch your back.”

“You do the same. I’m not sure we can do this without the help you all have given us from inside.”

Nita shrugged. “We all have our own reasons. I’ll signal you in two weeks if we can meet again.” Tobias nodded and his eyes followed as she got back into her vehicle. He wasn’t sure why she and Matthew were helping them so he was a little reticent to be fully truthful but he’d been serious. The help Matthew, Nita and whomever else inside the Bureau hated David had given them had been invaluable. Raising his hand in farewell, he watched her vehicle disappear into the blackness. In the distance, he could just barely see the lights from the Bureau and remembered scoffing at Tris and Uriah insisting they thought they could see something out there. He sometimes wondered if Tris would have been so eager to scale the wall if she’d known what really lay on the other side. He shook off the thought. What was done was done and now they had no choice but to deal with whatever came next. As he walked back to his own vehicle, he felt for the disk in his pocket. Maybe what came next would be worth it.


	20. The Vampire (a little more than T a little less than M)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As you guys may have guessed, I have a strong love of the paranormal and my all time favorite paranormal creature is the vampire. Yes, Underworld was right up my alley. Occasionally, I get a hankering for a good vampire story and low and behold, lookie what I came up with. Before anyone flips out over this, the end result would, of course, be FourTris.

xXx

“I’m sorry,” Tris sniffled, accepting the handkerchief from David’s outstretched hand. “I thought I’d pretty much cried myself out.” She wiped the tears from her eyes. “You’d think a month would be long enough to pull myself together.”

“Nonsense, my dear,” David’s voice was soothing as he settled on the couch next to her. “Nothing is harder than losing a parent and to lose both at the same time is unthinkable. It doesn’t matter if it’s been 1 month or 1 year, you never really get over it." 

Tris nodded, twisting the fine linen between her fingers.  "Thanks, David.” She paused then looked up at her parents’ friend guiltily. “And I’m sorry it took me so long to come visit you.”

David waved his pale hand in an elegant gesture. “I understand.  So how are you, really?”

Tris took a deep breath. “Okay. Some days are better than others, especially with Caleb being so far away. But my boyfriend, Tobias, has been a rock. He’s,” Tris paused, “been wonderful.” Tris winced a little at the waver she heard in her own voice.

David subtly slid closer to her. “Do I detect a but?” He was beginning to sense the opening he’d been looking for.

Tris glanced up at him. “No, no but, it’s just that, I don’t know, I feel like I’m dragging him down. He says I’m not but he wants to talk about the future and I’m just not there yet. I can’t even think of all the tomorrows without my parents.”

David nodded. “You’ve had a tragedy,” he said, his voice dropping an octave and taking on a soothing, almost hypnotic tone. “We all grieve in our own way, on our own time. No one can speed up that process. If he loves you, he’ll understand.  He’ll wait. This has to be on your pace.”

Tris looked up into David’s deep brown eyes. They were so deep, so full of understanding that Tris felt her eyes well again. “Thank you for understanding. ” She whispered. He was so gentle, so understanding, Tris couldn’t look away.

“Of course. ” David held her gaze and Tris found herself sinking into those dark eyes. Before she was fully conscious of what was happening, she felt his lips press gently to hers. She swayed towards him, deepening the contact. She felt like she was falling, drowning. The touch of his hand on her face brought her back and she pulled away slightly.

“David, no, this is wrong,” she whispered but her voice sounded unconvincing, even to her own ears. She wanted nothing more than to sink into him again, to feel his body against hers.

“Shh, my dear,” he murmured back, his deep, husky voice calming her, soothing her. “It’ll be all right.” He kissed her again, firmly. As he eased her back against the couch cushions, Tris’ eyes fluttered closed, so she missed David’s eyes flash red.

Blood red.

Tris felt David’s lips leave hers and wander down her throat. She tangled her hands in his dark brown hair. His lips were soft against the delicate skin of her neck and Tris shuddered in his arms. In the back of her mind, she was vaguely aware that something was wrong with this, very wrong, but somehow, she couldn’t think of what it was. David’s indeterminate age, his friendship with her parents, her love for Tobias all seemed like a dim and fuzzy memory. All she could think of, feel, was David’s body pressing her into the couch, his strong hand beginning to knead her breast. David’s lips caressed her skin and she felt him open his mouth against her neck. Tris gasped, so caught up in the pleasure that she didn’t notice the pain at first.

Fire spread through her veins as David’s fangs sank into her carotid artery. One arm banded tightly around her waist, the other pinching her nipple through her shirt. Tris moaned, her body jerking, tears running down her face as she was caught in a maelstrom of both intense pleasure and nearly unbearable pain. As her blood poured into David’s mouth, he insinuated himself between her legs, his heavy weight pressing down on her to stop her near violent thrashing.

Tris battled to open her eyes, gray clouding her vision, to see David’s head rise. His eyes were inhuman, his mouth stained red with her blood, dripping off the white of his fangs. Through the descending darkness, she just barely registered him smiling at her as he began unbuttoning her blouse. “You don’t have to worry about tomorrow, Tris,” he murmured, parting her blouse, his eyes drinking her in, “you are now mine.”


	21. Game On (M)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I have no idea where this came from but don't read this unless you're an adult. Yeah.

Tris gasped as Tobias pushed her roughly against the door and took her mouth. There was no hesitation in his lips, his hands and he didn’t treat her gently as he usually did. No, this was brutal, aggressive, possessive.

Tris loved it.

It wasn’t that Tris didn’t like how reverently Tobias treated her body, she absolutely did, but sometimes, late at night as they lay beside each other, she wished, if only for a moment, she could break through the walls he put up, through the Abnegation, to find the Dauntless underneath. Now, without even knowing how or why, it seemed as though she was going to get her wish.

Tris reached up and tangled her hands in his hair, kissing him back just as aggressively as he was kissing her. Tobias’ lips trailed down her neck, his tongue darting out to taste her skin, his teeth nipping lightly as his hands trailed under her shirt, pulling it up over her head. He threw it behind him, his lips reattaching themselves to her neck, sucking hard. A moan escaped her and she felt his lips stretch into a grin against her skin. He continued down her chest, reaching behind her to unhook her bra.

She gasped as he sucked her nipple into his mouth. Her head thudded back against the door as she felt his teeth graze her sensitive skin. He suckled deeply on one breast, then switched to the other while he unbuttoned and unzipped her pants. Tobias trailed down her stomach as he pulled down her pants and underwear. He untied each of her boots and pulled them off, quickly followed by her pants. Trailing kisses up her leg, he lifted one and perched it on his shoulder. He glanced up at her, his deep blue eyes nearly black, then lowered his head.

Tris shoved her hand in her mouth to stifle the scream, vaguely aware that she was pressed against their apartment door. This was Dauntless, odds were no one would notice but still, Tris didn’t want to call unnecessary attention to them. There was absolutely no way in the world she wanted him to stop. Her chest heaved as Tobias nibbled closer and closer to his goal.

Tobias spread her apart with his fingers, his tongue pressing firmly into her, moving in circles. With every revolution, Tris let out a squeak, pushing her hips forward to increase the contact as much as possible. All coherent thought flew out of her head as she felt him slide a long finger deep inside her. She grasped his head, tugging on his hair and in response, he slid inside a second, then third finger.

Explosions burst behind Tris’ closed eyelids and she heard a high keening sound, not aware that it was coming from her. Tobias rode out her climax with her, never removing his tongue or fingers until he felt her legs weaken. Standing, he wrapped his arm around her and hoisted her over his shoulder in a fireman’s carry.

Striding into their bedroom, he paused only to flip on the overhead light before dumping her unceremoniously on their bed. Tris looked up at him, her gray eyes clouded with lust as she watched him strip. He kicked off his shoes while pulling the black t-shirt over his head and Tris had the nearly overwhelming urge to lick those washboard abs. Meeting her eyes, he unzipped his pants, shoving them and his boxers down, just as he’d done with hers earlier. He stood still as her hot gaze wandered over him, up his chiseled chest to his face. Those deep blue eyes burned into her as he leaned forward and stretched over her, nestling himself between her legs.

Grabbing her arms, he laced their fingers together and stretched them over her head as he leaned down and kissed her deeply. Squeezing her fingers, he slid himself deeply inside her, reveling in the way her eyes went blind with pleasure. Without giving her time to think, he began moving, thrusting deeply, overwhelming her. Bending his head, he nibbled on her collarbone, directly over her tattoo.

Tris’ body moved helplessly beneath him, a slave to the driving force pushing them both closer and closer to the edge. This wasn’t her sweet, gentle Tobias, this was Four, Dauntless leader and he was unleashing every ounce of the restrained passion he carried on her. Tris gulped for breath as he moved strongly within her, his pace quickening. Tris squeezed his hands, using them as an anchor, mooring her to the world. The heat rose until it felt blistering, scorching Tris from inside out. Her moan was high pitched, torn deep from within her as the snap of his hips pushed her over the edge, sending her tumbling into oblivion. She floated in ecstasy, only vaguely aware of Tobias stiffening above her, his own shout of pleasure hoarse.

Tobias collapsed on top of her, releasing her hands. Tris wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tightly. She had no idea what had caused such a reaction in him but she absolutely did not care.  He raised his head and looked at her, enjoying the satisfaction he read in her eyes. He smiled at her a little and she smiled back, raising her hand and brushing a lock of his damp hair off his forehead.

“Wow,” she whispered.

His soft smile broadened into a grin, inordinately pleased with himself. “Glad you enjoyed that.”

“And how,” she laughed lightly. She leaned forward and kissed him. “I owe you one, now.”

Tobias laughed. “You think you can top that?” He asked, challenge clear in his voice.

“Oh, you just wait,” she promised, “you’ll never see it coming.”

Leaning down, he kissed her deeply. “Game on,” he murmured against her lips.


	22. Fourth of July (T/M)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ugh, you know, one day, I'd like to come up with a fic that doesn't end up becoming a multichapter. I've got like 3 in various stages. Sigh...so in the meantime, here's just a little scene for fun.

xXx

Tris snuggled into the curve of Tobias’ neck as his arm curved around her shoulders, holding her close to him. Tobias smiled at the feeling, sniffing lightly at her strawberry scented hair as he kissed the top of her head. He could just hear the strains of music from the nearby party but they were far enough away that he knew no one would come bother them. They’d have to move eventually, make their way back to their respective hotel rooms, but for now, they could stay here in the warm summer twilight. Just the two of them.

“I love you, Tris,” he murmured into her hair.

“Hmm,” she mumbled sleepily, “’zats’s good.”

He smiled again, tightening his arms around her, as his eyes drifted closed. They opened again when she bolted up next to him, the blanket covering them falling to her waist. “What?” She whispered, her voice incredulous, “What did you say?”

Tobias looked up at her, amused at the shock on her face. “I said I love you, Tris.”

Her grey eyes were so huge, they seemed to take up half her face. “But, but this was supposed to be fun!”

“Yeah, I know,” he shrugged, his heart beginning to race. “Somewhere along the way, it shifted.” He stared at her and said, carefully, “Are you saying it didn’t for you?”

“No, I mean yes, I mean, I, um, I – I don’t know!” She stammered. Tobias felt himself calm a little at the panic in her voice. Tris only panicked when she was confronted with something she wanted but felt she couldn’t – or shouldn’t – have.

Tobias raised himself on his elbows. “What’s wrong, Tris?”

She plucked at the blanket in her lap. “We weren’t supposed to be serious,” she whispered. “And love, that’s serious.”

He nodded and sat up next to her. “Yeah, it is. As serious as it gets.” He brushed a lock of her hair behind her ear, catching and holding her gaze. “So, are you telling me you don’t love me?”

Tris stared into his dark blue eyes, unsure of what she wanted to say. “No,” she heard herself say. As soon as the word was out of her mouth, she felt herself settle. Now that she’d said it, it didn’t seem so scary. “No, I’m not saying that at all.”

Tobias’ lips curved into a smile as he leaned forward and brushed them against hers. “Then we’re all good.” He pulled her to him, lowering them both to the blanket beneath them.

She traced patterns on his chest with her finger. “So now what?”

He ran his fingers across her hair. “What do you want?” She shrugged and he sighed. “It doesn’t have to change anything, Tris. We can keep this up if you want.”

“You don’t want that,” she said, her voice muffled by his chest.

“Not forever but for now, it’s fine. I know why you want to keep this quiet. The drama over your brother’s wedding is more than enough incentive.”

Tris laughed. “Exactly. Our parents find out we’re together, we’ll never hear the end of it.” She sobered. “And, I don’t want anyone to think of us as some kind of business arrangement, like they do Susan and Caleb. That’s not who we are.”

“Who cares what anyone thinks?” Tobias lifted her chin so he could look into her eyes again. “I just want you, Tris. Nothing else. Just you.”

Tris smiled slowly. “We’ll figure it out then.”

He nodded and looked up as the fireworks began above them. “The fireworks have started.”

Tris’ smile turned into a wicked grin. “Not yet, they haven’t,” she teased as she pushed him onto his back and let her hand wander down his body.


	23. The Spy (M)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So here's one of the multi chapter ideas I mentioned. The outline is going nowhere fast so I figured I'd just post the little I had, just for fun.

xXx

Tris lifted her head to stare at the dark-haired man next to her. He was snoring lightly so Tris was pretty sure he was asleep. He was on his stomach, his head facing away from her. She was on her side next to him, her leg thrown over his. Tris carefully moved her leg up his, testing to make sure he was asleep. If he turned to her, then she’d just act as though she was initiating sex. Again. But to her relief, he didn’t move.

Tris slowly slid out of bed and picked up his white shirt which she could just see in the filtered moonlight coming through the window. She slid it on and buttoned a couple of the buttons in the middle to hold it together. She felt around until she located her bra. Her fingers moved carefully around the padded cup, pulling out a small thumb drive that she’d hidden between the padding and the fabric. She let the bra drop to the floor and quietly walked over to the door. She pressed her ear against it, listening for anything obvious on the other side. She carefully opened the door a crack, peeking out to see if the security guy, Drew, was still there. She gave a silent sigh of relief when the hallway was empty.

Opening the door wider, she slipped out into the hallway. She walked quietly trying not to seem like she was walking quietly. She knew there were no cameras in the condo so her only concern was Drew coming around the corner. She had a plan, and a contingency plan, in case she was seen. Tris reached the office without incident and opened the door carefully, entering it. She’d hoped that no one had come in to shut things down after she’d “distracted” Pyotr and so far, it looked like no one had. She sat at the computer and pushed the mouse. The computer screen opened immediately. Tris almost chuckled out loud. There was no locked screen so she wouldn’t need the little program on the thumb drive to try and force open the lock. There was no way anyone in her aunt’s corporation would be so sloppy. Tris plugged in the thumb drive and quickly navigated through the computer until she found Pyotr’s financial files. She smirked and downloaded the files onto the thumb drive. She glanced at the clock and risked a few more minutes of poking around his hard drive, downloading any files that even looked like they could be useful. She deleted the records in the download folder as she went along, then dumping the computer’s recycle bin. A good computer tech would be able to retrieve the trail of what she’d done but by the time anyone did, she’d be long gone. When she reached the fifteen-minute mark, she ejected the thumb drive and pushed away from the computer.

Tris debated taking the small clutch purse on the edge of the desk with her. She’d left it as her excuse to come back in and retrieve it. Since she’d managed to get in the office without incident, she wondered if it was worth taking back. Would Pyotr remember that she’d left it there? Probably not, she decided. He’d been pretty well distracted when she’d dropped her coat to reveal the barely-there sleeveless dress that just covered her ass. When she’d slid on his desk and he’d seen the tiny thong she’d had on, they’d moved quickly to the bedroom. She opened the purse and pulled out a couple of condoms. If she happened to run into Drew in the hallway, she’d just claim they’d run out and she’d come to get them out of her purse.

She opened the door and made her way back to the bedroom. Still no Drew. She carefully opened the bedroom door and closed it softly behind her. Pyotr was still snoring in the bed and didn’t look like he’d moved. Tris picked up her bra and took it with her into the bathroom. She turned on the light and fit the thumb drive back into her bra. She worked it in between the inner fabric of the cup and the padding, nestling it near the underwire so on a casual feel, it would be undetected. She opened the medicine cabinet and stuffed the two condoms she’d swiped from her purse into the condom box that was already there. She’d come prepared and had purchased the same brand she’d seen Pyotr use with her. As she closed the medicine cabinet door, she caught sight of herself. She hadn’t had this red hair for long so it took her by surprise for a moment. She shook her head a little. The rich auburn made her skin seem even paler than usual. It was almost too bad she’d ditch this color after she left tonight. She could get used to it. She stared at the eyes made a deeper shade of blue than her natural bluish gray by extended wear color contacts. Disguises were a tool of her trade and one she actually enjoyed. Some days, it was the only part of her job she enjoyed. She shook her head as if she could shake off her now melancholy mood. This was nearly over and soon she could go home.

She unbuttoned the two buttons and slipped the shirt off her shoulders. She turned off the light and re-entered the bedroom. She’d maneuvered Pyotr so her side of the bed was closest to the bathroom. She dropped the shirt and bra on the floor by the bed, near where she’d thrown it hours before and slid into bed. As she pulled the covers over herself, Pyotr grunted and turned over.

“Zzit morning?” He mumbled, his accent even thicker with sleep.

Tris ran her hand over his shoulder lightly. “No,” she whispered, “go back to sleep.”

Pyotr hooked an arm around her waist and pulled her close. He ran a hand around her body. “Maybe I need a little help.” He suggested, his voice losing the sleepy quality it had just a moment ago. His hand tripped down her body, his fingers sliding themselves between her legs. His fingers moved deftly, stroking her. Tris stifled an annoyed sigh and pushed him onto his back. She reached over to his bedside table and picked up one of the condoms they had left. Pyotr put his hands behind his head and grinned, watching her in the low moonlight. Tris unwrapped the condom, put it on him and squeezed her hand up and down a couple of times to make sure he was nice and hard. She threw her leg over him and eased herself down onto him. She groaned, not all of it faked for effect. Pyotr was a decent lay, not her best, but good enough for her to at least get some enjoyment out of this assignment. She moved up and down, undulating her hips against his. Pyotr reached up and grabbed her breasts, kneading them, his touch firm. She leaned back, bracing her hands on his thighs behind her, her hair ticking his thighs. His hands wandered down from her breasts to grip her hips tightly as he surged up into her. Tris moved faster, sensing he was getting close to the end and wanting to try and get off herself. Leaning forward, she angled her hips so her clit would rub against his shaft with each downward movement. Tris shivered a little, enjoying the little sparks of electricity throughout her body, but it just wasn’t enough.

Pyotr grasped a butt cheek in each hand and squeezed. “You close?” He panted.

“Yeah.” Her voice sounded breathy but it was all a sham. It just wasn’t going to happen, though, not with this guy. Tris closed her eyes and squeezed her inner muscles, making breathy moans to convince him she had reached her orgasm. Pyotr followed behind her, releasing himself into the condom with a grunt. Tris took a couple of deep breaths and moved off him to lay on her stomach next to him. Pyotr got up, stretched and slapped her ass playfully as he went into the bathroom. Tris turned on her back, staring up at the ceiling. Recently, completing assignments wasn’t as exciting as it had been when her Aunt Jeanine had first begun tasking her to gather information for the company. It may have been Tris’ imagination but it seemed as though the assignments were not only getting more dangerous but were requiring Tris to make more and more sacrifices of herself. Although it wasn’t a normal part of her job, it certainly wasn’t the first time she’d slept with someone for information and she did not want to do it again. The traveling, the deceptions, the spying, it was all beginning to wear her down. At her heart, Tris wasn’t the party-girl she’d played for Pyotr and the constant bar-hopping and nightlife she’d lived while here in Moscow had really taken its toll.

Pyotr got back in the bed and flopped next to her. He quickly began snoring again. Tris continued to stare at the ceiling, vowing that this would be the last time she would take an assignment from Jeanine for a while.

xXx

“Welcome home, Ms. Matthews.” The young Customs agent said with a flirty wink. Tris smiled back as the tucked her passport back into her oversize tote bag. It would take her a minute to get used to hearing Matthews again. She’d been Patrice Mathis for these last two months in Moscow. Tris followed the crowd down the hallway to the escalator that would take her down to baggage claim. A stray lock of her now shoulder-length light brown hair escaped her ponytail so she tucked it behind her ear. She’d miss Patrice’s deep auburn but the brown wasn’t bad and it was the usual color she wore when at home in London. It was a few shades darker than her natural honey blonde, a color she hadn’t worn in years.

Tris walked over to the baggage claim area and waited for her bags. Pulling out her cell phone, she checked the message from her aunt again. _Welcome home. Will send new man to pick you up. Need you to come straight to the office. Must talk._ She frowned at the phone, wanting nothing more than to just get comfortable in her loft again. But, Jeanine wasn’t only her aunt, she was Tris’ boss and ignoring her summons wasn’t an option.

Finally, she spotted her brown tweed suitcase. She dropped her phone back into her bag and pulled the suitcase off the carousel. Most of the clothes she’d worn in Moscow she’d left there in the apartment she’d rented there. She’d boarded a plane for Paris soon after she’d left Pyotr, travelling under yet another assumed name to cover her tracks. Her week-long stay in Paris had been just long enough for her to change her hair and retrieve the few clothes she’d left at the apartment owned by Matthews Pharmaceuticals, her family’s corporation. She was really hoping for a few days to decompress but clearly that wasn’t in the cards.

She wheeled her suitcase towards the exit, scanning the white cards held by various drivers for her name. Finally, she spotted it, _Beatrix Matthews_. She looked up from the name tag and into the gorgeous face of the man holding it. He was well over six feet tall with wavy dark hair, dusky gold skin, broad shoulders and a firm jaw. What caught her attention though, were his unexpectedly dark blue eyes. Tris let her eyes travel down his lean, muscular frame, enrobed in a well-tailored black suit. He wasn’t wearing a tie and his crisp white shirt was unbuttoned at the throat. The effect was business casual, and completely sexy. When her eyes travelled back to his amazing face, he was smirking at her.

“Beatrix Matthews? I’m Thomas Eastman from Matthews Pharmaceuticals.” He said, drawing Tris’ attention to his full lips. His voice was deep, just on the edge of gravelly, tinged with an American accent. Tris was a little surprised as Jeanine rarely hired Americans and usually had no regard for the looks of her employees. Either her Aunt Jeanine’s taste was improving or this man was much more than just a simple errand boy. Maybe going straight to the office wasn’t such a bad thing after all. She hoisted her bag further up her shoulder and held out a hand. “Well, hello, Mr. Eastman. I am indeed Beatrix Matthews.”

He took her hand in a firm grip that Tris admired. Many men often made the mistake of assuming she was delicate and wouldn’t shake her hand properly. The impression usually served her well, allowing people to underestimate her. But not him. Thomas seemed to assume she was as strong as she was. She wondered briefly if he knew what she really did for Jeanine.

“Your aunt sent me to pick you up.”

Tris’ lips curved into a smile. “Well, by all means then, pick me up.”

He gave her a wicked answering grin that sent images of tangled bodies and steamy nights tumbling through Tris’ mind. He reached down for the handle of her suitcase, his eyes never leaving hers. Tris wasn’t one for romanticizing but there was something about this man that was absolutely magnetic. From the admiring gleam in his eyes, Tris guessed the feeling was mutual.

“Shall we?” Thomas gestured to the exit door where she expected the company limousine would be waiting.

Tris wound her arm through his. “Oh, yes, Mr. Eastman, indeed we shall.”

 


	24. A Broken Ankle (T)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This came to me when I was stuck in a walking boot for two weeks recently (damn tendinitis). As I wrote, I realized I was using too similar a storyline to another one I’m working on so I decided to back off this for a minute until a better idea presented itself. Ah, the writing muse is fickle...

xXx

Tris stared down at the gray plastic walking boot on her foot with active distaste. Sure, she knew running around in high heels during a rainstorm hadn’t necessarily been the wisest choice. But her black suede t-strap pumps with their adorable gray straps and 4 -inch stiletto heels went so well with the black Hugo Boss wool suit with the asymmetrical jacket. And sure, trying to hurry across Lake Street before the light turned red might have been a miscalculation on her part. But slipping on water, rolling her ankle and falling rather unceremoniously in the middle of the street seemed karmically unfair. After all, she was fetching coffee for her new boss, Tori Wu. Tris scowled at the boot. Not only had she fractured her ankle in the fall, she’d gotten coffee, mud and water all over her London Fog trench coat, her suit, ruined her silver blouse and, most tragically of all, broken the heel on her beloved Nine Wests.

“I’m so sorry, hon,” Christina sympathized. In the background, Tris could hear a flight being announced. “I wish we were sticking around this weekend so we could help!”

Tris smiled. “That’s sweet but I’m sure you’ll have your hands full enough with part two of The Great Parent Introduction.” It was Christina’s turn to take Will home to meet her parents as they had made the trip to Will’s parents in Iowa just a couple of months before.

Tris heard Christina heave a sigh and lower her voice. “It has to go better than part one,” she lamented. While they’d been perfectly nice to her, Will’s parents had been taken aback by Christina. Will was a sweet, relatively quiet and laid back farm boy from small town Iowa while Christina was a loud, brutally honest ball of energy from Detroit.  “I just don’t know how he’ll take to them. Papa speaks in French half the time at home!” Christina’s parents, immigrants from Haiti, were just as loud and boisterous as their daughter, which served them well as both were litigators.

“Chris, everything will be fine.”

“So, what are you going to do? This is a three-day weekend.” Christina’s voice raised and Tris guessed Will must’ve rejoined her since Christina changed the topic so abruptly.

“Tori felt bad about the accident so she emailed over a few manuscripts for me to work on while I'm out of work. So, I’m going to do as the doctor said and stay off of it. Tori felt bad about the accident so she emailed over a few manuscripts for me to work on while I'm out of work. My parents will be back in a couple of weeks and I told them not to cut their trip to California short. Caleb and Susan could use the help moving since she’s on bed rest.” Tris’ brother and sister in law were moving into a new house in preparation for their coming twins and Susan had been having a tough time.

Tris heard Will’s voice murmuring in the background and Christina exclaimed, “Oh, right! I’d forgotten! Tris, one of Will’s fraternity brothers lives in your building. He’s the super or something.”

Frowning, Tris thought a moment before saying, “You mean Tobias? He’s the live-in contact for the property owner.”

“Is his name Tobias?” Christina laughed at Will’s chuckle. “Oh, you never call him anything but Four.”

“Four?” Tris scoffed. “What kind of name is Four?”

Christina laughed. “I said the same thing! I met him about a month or so ago at a happy hour hosted by the alumni chapter of Will’s frat. So, you know me, I asked him what, was one through three taken? And he said, so this is how this guy is, totally deadpan, he says yes.”

“What?” Tris was totally confused.

Christina laughed heartily. “When the guys are on line, each guy is assigned a number based on their last name. Alphabetically, there were three guys ahead of him so, Four.”

Trish shook her head and shifted a little, trying hard not to dislodge her leg from the ottoman. “Okay, well at least that’s logical.” Tris could hear Will’s voice again in the background.

“Will is texting Four your number and he can help you carry up grocery deliveries or something.”

As much as she hated the idea of needing help, Tris recognized the logic in what Christina said. She wasn’t supposed to bear a lot of weight on the ankle and trying to walk around the grocery store, carrying groceries to an Uber or worse, on the L, would be a nightmare of epic proportions. “I guess that’ll work,” she said hesitantly.

“Great!” In the background, Tris heard a flight being announced. “Listen, sweetie, that’s us. I’ll text you when we get to Mom and Papa’s. We’ll have Four call you.”

“Okay, thanks. Have a good time!”

“God willing!” Christina laughed as she hung up the phone.


	25. Tris Feels Left Out (T)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, I know, it’s been FOREVER! I’ve been working on actual things I can post but every once in a while, the musing bug strikes. Cinemax has been showing Allegiant and of course I watch, so this little scene from a post Allegiant world popped into my head. I swear if I keep watching, I’ll write a damn post Allegiant novel.

xXx

Tris spied her friends at a table in the corner of the Dauntless cafeteria and made her way over to them. As she approached, she paused, watching them laugh. Something about the scene made her stomach drop and she remembered one of her fears, standing on one side of a clear wall, everyone she loved on the other.

“So, we’re all standing there and these people are looking at us, staring and whispering. It was surreal!” Christina shot a mischievous look at Four. “There are these kids saying hi to Four and this girl, had to be about thirteen or fourteen says all seductively, ‘Hi, Four.’” Christina made an exaggerated sexy face and Zeke howled with laughter, dropping his head on the table and laughing.

Four glared at Christina and threw a potato chip at her. “She was not.”

“Oh, like hell!” Christina snorted. “I’m right and you know it!”

Shauna wiped a tear of laughter from her eye. “You should have been here first year,” she teased, winking at Four, “the same kind of thing happened here. He never noticed.”

Zeke got himself under control and looked up, a huge smile still splitting his face. “So, what’d he do?” Zeke asked, ignoring Four’s eye roll.

“He just grinned at her and said “Hey’.”

Zeke dissolved into laughter again and Four glared at Christina again. “I’ll get you for this, you know.”

Christina blew him a kiss. “Suuuure you will, big scary instructor.”

Standing a little apart, Tris realized the divide between her, Four and Christina was larger than she’d thought. She had no idea they’d crossed over into being actual friends and the memories of the Bureau they shared were not the same ones that she had. For a moment, Tris wondered if things would ever truly be on equal footing between all of them again.

Four looked up and saw Tris hovering not far away and he gave her a smile. “Hey, Tris.”

Tris forced a smile. “Hey.” She closed the distance and slid onto the bench next to him and felt inexplicably relieved when he pulled her to him and pressed his lips to her temple. Christina smiled and slid a small plate with a slice of chocolate cake towards her.

“I saved you this. Your man wasn’t looking out for you.” She said, shooting a grin at Four again.

Once again, Tris felt her stomach flip as she saw the signs of real friendship between Four and Christina. She wasn’t jealous – she didn’t think – but being back in Chicago had made her realize that while they'd been at the Bureau, she’d created a chasm between her and her best friend and boyfriend. She tried to push aside the uneasy feeling and forced another smile at Christina. “The man can’t be trusted around cake,” she said.

Draping his arm casually around Tris, he nodded, his expression serious. “I have to admit, she’s right.”

“Hey, any more cake?” Uriah bounded over and dropped on the seat next to Christina, bumping her shoulder with his.

Christina smiled at him, her smile warm and just a bit flirtatious. “Sorry, babe, you snooze, you lose.”

Uriah’s eyes narrowed. “I can take yours,” he said, eyeing the plate in front of her.

“Just try it!”

As their friends teased each other, Four leaned close to Tris and murmured in her ear, “You okay?”

She started a little and nodded. “Yeah, fine.”

Four searched her eyes, knowing she wasn’t telling him everything but the slight sadness he saw in her eyes stopped him from questioning her further. “Finish up your cake and we can go back to our place. I missed you today.”

A genuine smile crossed Tris’ face as she read the heat in his eyes. Reaching for her fork, she shoveled in a huge bite, making him chuckle.


	26. Meeting the Fringe (T)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I had this image of Four and Zeke venturing out into the fringe to meet some of the people outside Chicago and the Bureau.

“There it is,” Zeke commented, pointing at the faint outlines of the tents just off in the distance. Tobias nodded and Zeke glanced over at him. “So, I figure we can’t just drive up and knock on the door.”

Tobias chuckled a little. “Yeah no. We’ll have to get them to take us to whomever is in charge. And convince them we aren’t a threat.”

Zeke rolled his eyes. “No pressure.” He rolled his neck from side to side.

“I could have done this by myself,” Tobias pointed out, amused.

Zeke gave a full bellied laugh. “And have Tris gut me? No way, man. You do not cross Dauntless girls. Even if they didn’t start off in Dauntless.”

Tobias chucked again and had to agree. Tris was plenty pissed enough that she couldn’t refute his arguments for her not going. To have Zeke drop out and Tobias venture out into the Fringe alone would have sent her through the stratosphere.

“How do we play this?” Zeke asked, his eyes scanning the area as they approached the camp. “We should probably ditch the vehicle,” he mused, “I don’t see any signs of any others and it may be a bit much to just drive up to the nearest tent and say what’s up.”

Tobias nodded. “Yeah, that’s true.” He turned the ATV towards a hill and parked. “We should be good here. Not too far to walk.” Tobias glanced at the rifles. “We should probably leave the rifles too.”

Zeke nodded his agreement. “Good call. Less threatening. But we take the knives.”

“Hell yeah.”

Tobias and Zeke climbed out of each side of the vehicle. Tobias opened the trunk, uncoded the lock on the built-in storage locker and Zeke handed him the two rifles and two handguns they’d brought along. They stowed the guns but armed themselves with knives, strapped to their arms, thighs and ankle holsters. Zeke secured his knives then looked at his best friend. “You realize they’re going to search us and probably disarm us, right?”

Tobias sighed, “Yeah.” He reached for two small flashlights, handing one to Zeke and storing the others in one of the side leg pockets of his black utility pants. Zeke followed suit then grinned almost maniacally.

“Let’s do this!” He yelled, slapping Tobias on the back. Together, they hiked the remainder of the way to the Fringe camp. There were at least twenty tents set up around what remained of a house. The tents were made of scrap cloth of all colors, bleached pale by the sun. As they approached, they saw a woman digging into the reddish brown dirt, a basket of small bones next to her. She dumped the bones into the hole, covering it back up with dirt. She patted down the dirt, filling in the hole, glancing up. She looked back down then her head shot back up when she realized it wasn’t an illusion, there really were two men in black approaching her. She reached next to her and grabbed a wicked looking machete, scrambling to her feet and holding it ready.

“Who the fuck are you?” She snarled, “Raiders?” She was skinny, clearly undernourished, her blond hair faded to a dull yellow, but the fierce expression on her face made it clear she would fight to the death to protect herself and her encampment.

Tobias held up his hands to show that he held nothing in them, Zeke copying the motion. “We aren’t a threat,” Tobias said clearly. “We aren’t raiders.”

The woman nodded, her bright blue eyes still glowing with mistrust and determination even as she realized that it was just the two of them. “Well, you aren’t Bureau. They come in air ships. So, where did you come from?”

“We’re from the city, from Chicago.”

“Chicago?” The machete dropped a bit as the woman stared at them in confusion. In a second, she re-gripped the machete and held it aloft again. “Bullshit,” she spat, “nobody ever leaves the city. The Bureau controls it.”

Zeke shrugged. “Not anymore,” he said. “This is the first camp we’ve visited.”

“We’d like to talk to whomever is in charge,” Tobias continued. “We’re looking to make some allies against the Bureau.”

One blond eyebrow raised. “You actually want to go against the Bureau?” She asked, her voice heavy with skepticism.

Tobias nodded. “Yeah. If you could just take us to somebody who speaks for the camp, we’ll explain everything. Unless that’s you…”

She snorted so Zeke and Tobias took that to mean she wasn’t in charge. She stood, staring at them for a moment, weighing her opinions, then she gave a sharp nod. “All right. I’ll take you to Anson.” Without taking her eyes off them and still holding the knife at the ready, she bent and picked up the basket. She made a sharp gesture with her head. “Go on. I’ll be behind you.”

Zeke and Tobias glanced at each other and moved in the direction she indicated. Zeke glanced over his shoulder to see her following them with the knife poised at their backs. They made their way through alleyways created between tents. The camp wasn’t large but it was neatly laid out, resembling a grid. A few people glanced at them as they walked, one woman clutching her baby close to her chest and pulling down a cloth, effectively slamming a door. As they approached the remainder of the cabin they’d spied earlier, they noticed an old stone well, a small green patch of grass next to it.

“In here.” The blond woman said, coming around them and gesturing them to a tent next to the dilapidated porch of the house. Zeke and Tobias bent to enter the tent and sat down on cushions scattered on the floor, both of them facing the front flap. “Tru! Sam! Watch these two!”

Outside of the tent, two shadows appeared. “What’s happening, Liz?” A female voice, her tone strong and sure, asked.

Tobias and Zeke glanced at each other. “Security?” Zeke murmured, his tone low.

Tobias nodded, glancing around at the tent. The flap in front of them was the only one. The bottom of the tent was firmly staked into the ground so if they had to make a fast exit, getting through the rough cloth was going to be a challenge. “Yeah, makes sense. Getting out of here would be tough,” he said, voicing his thoughts in the same low tone.

“If we have to, you throw a knife and I’ll attack straight ahead. They’ll have to come in one at a time. While I’m attacking, you can cut the cloth, then we go left.” Tobias nodded in agreement.

Outside, Liz continued to speak to the two security guards. “We’ve got…visitors.”

“What the fuck?” A second voice, this time male, said. “Visitors?”

“Yeah, they want to speak to someone in charge. Where’s Anson?”

“Inside.”

“I’ll go get him.”

Zeke looked at Tobias. “What do you think?” he asked quietly.

“They didn’t kill us on sight.”

Zeke rolled his eyes. “Jesus. You’re such a comfort.”

 

 


	27. The Vampire (cont.) (M - violence)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm reading a new vampire series and it sparked the fickle muse. I thought of my vampire musing and the next step in the story. Vampires aren't quite Christmas but who cares! Happy holidays!!

Tobias frowned as he pushed open the stairwell doorway leading to his apartment. The power wasn’t out in the building so some of the lightbulbs in the hallway must’ve blown. One he could see but three? Shaking his head, he mused it must be some kind of power surge at his end of the hallway, and made a mental note to call the super about it. The hallway seemed quiet, more so than normal, setting off a vague feeling of unease as he walked towards his apartment. It was a little difficult to get his key in the lock in the dim light, but he managed and just as he was opening the door, he heard a sound behind him.

“Tobias.” The voice was soft, feminine and familiar. Tobias turned, expecting to see one of his neighbors. She was petite and blonde, her features hidden by the dark.

“Hailey?” He asked hesitantly, knowing of only one blonde on this hall but the feeling of unease grew. It wasn’t Hailey. The blonde stepped out of the dark shadow of the corner and Tobias sucked in a shocked breath. “Tris,” he breathed, his heart racing.

“Hello, Tobias,” she said. “Why don’t we go inside? We have a lot to talk about.”

Nodding dumbly, Tobias took a step backwards into his apartment, Tris gliding past him. He closed the door, his back to her, taking a moment to gather his racing thoughts. Tris was here, alive, after all these years. As soon as the thought crossed his mind, fury raced through him. He flipped the light switch and turned to face her.

She stood still, her hands clasped in front of her. Tris looked exactly as he remembered her, exactly as she looked in the picture he still kept on the bookshelf. Her golden hair fell straight past her shoulders, thick and shiny. She looked a little pale, her skin not quite the peaches and cream he remembered. But her eyes, bright blue and shiny were the same eyes he’d dreamt about these last eight years.

Tobias leaned back against the door, crossing his arms across his chest, not sure he trusted himself to speak just yet. She stared back at him, her eyes drinking him in. Finally, Tobias broke the tense silence.

“So, you’re alive.”

She ducked her head a little. “Yeah.”

“Where the fuck have you been for the last eight years?”

Tris flinched a little at the venom in his voice. She’d known this would be bad – how could it be otherwise? – but the reality was so much ore painful than she’d imagined. “It’s hard to explain,” she said, her voice low. “I’m not sure you’d believe me anyway.”

“Try me.”

The steel in his voice struck her once again. He’d never spoken to her so harshly when they’d been together before. He’d never coddled her, had always respected her as an equal, but he’d never unleashed the full force of his considerable temper on her. “I wish I could explain but I can’t.”

His eyes narrowed. “I spent two years, thousands of dollars on private investigators.” The money he’d spent had been the final straw in his relationship with his father. Marcus had considered it wasteful but Tobias hadn’t cared. He’d been desperate to find her. He’d finally given up when it became clear that she’d disappeared without a trace. “The last place you were seen was with your parents’ friend, David.”

Tris didn’t move. “Yes.”

“Were you with him?”

“Yes.”

“I see.” Tobias choked down the urge to punch his fist through the wall. He’d met David a couple of times with Tris before her parents had died and the way the man had watched Tris had made Tobias suspicious. He’d told her David wanted her and she’d laughed him off. But now to find out that she’d run off with him ripped open the wound her disappearance had punched into Tobias’ heart. All these years, she’d been with David, never once giving a thought to her relationship with Tobias, to the love he’d had for her.

“There’s so much I can’t tell you about that time, Tobias. But I’m not here to talk about the past.”

Tobias’ jaw clenched. “Then why are you here?”

“I need to warn you about your father.”

He snorted, pushing himself upright. He dropped the keys he’d had clenched in his hand into the bowl on the table beside the door. As it clinked in the pottery, Tobias realized the small blue glazed bowl had been a gift from Tris after she’d taken a pottery class with her mother. Pushing the painful memories aside, he looked at her again. “There’s nothing about that bastard I don’t already know.”

She shook her head. “Not this time. You’re in danger because of him.” When he shrugged, Tris sighed. “He reneged on a business deal with some pretty unsavory characters. He’s gone into hiding but they know about you. They will go for you to try and get to him.”

Tobias shrugged again. “I haven’t seen the son of a bitch in about six years. I have no idea where he could be or what he’s been up to. This shit has nothing to do with me.”

“That doesn’t matter to these people. If they can’t get to him, they will kill you to draw him out.”

That made Tobias pause a little. While it didn’t surprise him in the least that Marcus could get himself involved with people that were willing to go to extremes, Tobias had a little trouble believing he could get involved with killers. “So, what’s your role in this? You some kind of messenger for these people?”

Tris made a derisive sound and Tobias realized it was one of the few times she’d moved since she entered his apartment. He frowned, there was something unnatural about her stillness. It was Tris, there was no doubt, but Tobias sensed this wasn’t the same girl he’d loved.

“I work for…an investigative group. We try to stop them from hurting innocents.” She stepped forward, “We can protect you. Move you to a safe house until we can eliminate the threat.”

Tobias laughed. “That sounds a bit melodramatic. Thanks, but no thanks, I can take care of myself.”

“Tobias, please, I don’t want anything to happen to you.” She entreated, her eyes soft.

Tobias went rigid, his eyes icing over. “Like I said,” he spat out, “I can take care of myself. You walked out eight years ago,” he opened the door, “and you can do it again.”

Tris took another step forward, raising her hand to touch him, “Tobias,”

He flinched away from her. “Get the fuck out,” he growled. Tris sighed, moving forward. She paused in the doorway.

“I never wanted to hurt you,” she said softly, “and no matter what you think, I would never want anything to happen to you. If you need me, I’ll be around.”

Tobias shut the door in her face.

xXx

“Hey.”

Tobias looked up to see Nita standing in the doorway to his office. He gave her a slight smile. “Morning.”

She didn’t return the smile, a slight frown creasing her face. “You okay?” She asked. “You don’t look so hot.”

Running a hand through his hair, he tried to straighten up. “Yeah, I’m fine.” At her raised eyebrow, he tried another smile. “Seriously, I’m fine. I just – I just didn’t sleep well last night.” That was an understatement. His sleep had been fractured, broken by dreams of his past with Tris. To know that she was alive, that she’d simply skipped town all those years ago, walking out on him, had thrown him into turmoil. He’d spent all those years wondering if she’d fallen victim to a serial killer stalking Chicago back then, all those years haunted by the fear that’s he’d somehow failed to keep her safe, only to find out that’s she’d run off to screw her parents’ friend.

Nita nodded slowly. “Okay, if you’re sure. Hey, how about dinner tonight?”

Tobias stared at her. Nita was a beautiful woman, long wavy dark hair curled over her silky white wrap blouse, the black palazzo pants hugging her curvy hips before flaring out. As usual her face was perfectly made up, hair perfectly styled. He sighed. She was beautiful, intelligent, exactly what he should want. And didn’t. “Nita…”

She held up a perfectly manicured hand with its red nail polish. “Just friends, I promise. I’m not trying to start anything again.” She straightened up and saluted with three fingers. “Scout’s honor.”

He snorted. “Like you were ever a Scout of anything.”

Nita gave him an exaggerated pout, determined to joke him out of his melancholy mood. “Aw, c’mon, can’t you see me in those little khaki shorts, hiking through the mountains, catching fish with twine and a paperclip, building a fire with sticks, being one with nature?”

The image of Nita, the epitome of urban chic, tromping around the woods in hiking boots was inconceivable. “Yeah no.” He sat back in his chair, amusement on his face. “Have you ever even been camping?”

“Sure!” She shrugged at the skeptical look on his face. “I went skiing with my college roommate and her family out in Jackson Hole. We stayed in their cabin.”

Tobias rolled his eyes. “That’s hardly camping, Nita.”

“There was only basic cable and no hot tub. I mean, come on.” She rolled her eyes heavenward.

In spite of himself, he found himself chuckling. “How did you ever survive?”

“It was tough but we persevered.” She smiled at him, pleased she was able to loosen him up. “See, a night out with me is just what you need. Come on, Tobias. I’ll even treat.”

He had to admit, the encounter with her had lifted his spirits. “Okay, but we split the bill.”

She grinned. “You’re on. I know just the place.”

xXx

Tobias and Nita shivered a little as the brisk wind hit them as they exited the restaurant. They were parked a few blocks away in the parking deck and Tobias felt he needed the walk. He hadn’t been able to resist the chocolate fudge cake for dessert.

Nita glanced up at him, pleased at the relaxed look on his face. “You look like a well-fed cat.”

Tobias grinned down at her. “That chocolate cake is the best in the city.”

“I never would have guessed, considering you only let me get one measly little forkful.”

“I told you to order your own,” he smirked.

She laughed, bumping her hip companionable against his. “See, I told you going out with me was what you needed.”

Tobias laughed back, throwing his arm around her shoulders and giving her a friendly hug. “You were right.”

She wound her arm around his waist as they walked. As much as she wished it were otherwise, she knew it was just a friendly hug and nothing more. Over dinner, he’d confided to her that he’d seen his ex-girlfriend and had finally found out she’d left him for another man, well older than him. “Your ex doesn’t deserve you, you know,” she said quietly. They stopped and she looked up at him, her expression serious. “And I’m not just saying that because I wanted us to hook up. I mean it. You’re a great guy and if she doesn’t see that, it’s her loss.”

Tobias gave her a gentle kiss on the forehead. “Thanks, Nita,” he said softly, “for everything.”

“Anytime.” She wound her arm around his. “So, what do you think of the Bears chances of breaking even this year?”

Tobias laughed again and they launched into a lively debate about his hometown team. Nita was a Dallas Cowboys fan, a holdover from her childhood in Texas. Tobias had joked that her poor taste in football teams threatened the very foundation of their friendship. They were so absorbed in the conversation, neither of them noticed the shadows in the alley before them moving slightly. They walked past the mouth of the alley and hands reached out and pulled them both into the darkness.

Tobias’ arms were yanked behind him and held in an iron grip. He yelled, struggling, while he watched in horror as another man pulled Nita to him. Her scream was cut off as the man who’d grabbed her bent down and sank his teeth into her throat.

“NO!” Tobias yelled, struggling against the man holding his arms behind his back. He heard a distant pop and waves of agony rolled over him, making him nauseous from the pain. He still struggled, seeing the horror on Nita’s face as her captor drank deeply from her throat. She gurgled a little, her eyes going glassy as the vampire pushed her away from him, ripping what was left of her throat open. Her body fell to the ground, her face splattered with blood and frozen in terror.

“Nita, God, no…” Tobias moaned, looking down at his friend’s beautiful face, now still in death. “Motherfucker!” He growled as the vampire turned around, his stringy dark hair hanging around his face, his eyes glowing a metallic red, Nita’s blood dropping from his mouth, stretched in a hideous grin. The man behind him – also clearly a vampire from the inhumanly strong hold he had on Tobias’ arms - tightened his grip and Tobias couldn’t stop the groan of agony as new waves of pain surged through his dislocated shoulders.

“Mr. Eaton,” the vampire in front of him drawled, “we are associates of your father.”

Tobias’ heart nearly stopped as he remembered Tris’ warning. “I’ve got nothing to do with that bastard.” He said, trying desperately to find any escape from this nightmare but it was clear there was no hope. Tobias wasn’t afraid of dying but dying for something his father had done pissed him off to no end.

“Nonetheless, we are here to collect his debt.” He stepped closer to Tobias, those red eyes burning into Tobias’ memory and bent his head. He yanked the collar of Tobias’ jacket aside and sank his fangs into Tobias’ throat.

It felt like two white hot needles being plunged into his skin. Tobias cried out, feeling the tug of the vampire’s mouth as his blood rushed out. _I’m sorry, Tris_ , Tobias thought as black spots began to cloud his vision.

Suddenly, the vampire in front of him spasmed, his back arching, letting go of Tobias’ throat. The vampire staggered back, an arrow piercing his heart. Tobias fell to the ground, a sharp pain shooting through his abused shoulder as it impacted with the hard concrete street. He vaguely realized the vampire who’s held him captive had thrown him aside and was now facing a smaller opponent. There was a gleam of steel and the glimpse of blonde hair as the vampire threw his arm in a roundhouse punch but staggered back momenta later, howling and clutching his chest. He fell to the ground and Tobias could see the stainless steel knife protruding from his chest.

“Tobias!” He vaguely heard his name shouted and he struggled against the darkness threatening to envelop him. He felt his head being lifted and he could have sworn he saw Tris’ face bending over him, her eyes fading from metallic red back to their normal pale blue.

“Tris,” he managed to whisper before his eyes closed, succumbing to the beckoning unconsciousness.

“It’s okay, it’s okay,” she chanted, pushing up her sleeve. Her eyes flashed red again as Tris bit into her wrist and held it over Tobias’ mouth, letting her blood pour into him. Her wound closed after a moment and she considered biting it again when she saw the gashes at his neck began to close. His misshapen shoulders moved back into place and she breathed a sigh of relief as his eyelids fluttered open. “That’s it,” she encouraged. “Come back to me.”

Tobias groaned, slowly opening his eyes, his body in unbelievable pain. “What -” There was a deep throb in his neck, making his voice sound scratchy.

“No, don’t try to talk. We’ve got to get you help.” She pushed him into a sitting position and with her arms around his waist, she stood with him. Tobias swayed, the world tilting on its axis from the change in altitude but Tris held him tightly. “It’s okay, I’ve got you.” She kept one arm firmly around his waist and ducked herself under his arm to secure it around her shoulders. He groaned a little from the pain that shot through the shoulder as it moved. Tris had given him just enough blood to begin the healing process but she hadn’t wanted to give him too much. Vampire blood could heal humans but too much could cause intoxication if the human wasn’t close enough to death to be turned.

They staggered deeper into the alley, each step a struggle for Tobias, until they came to a black BMW sedan parked at the opposite entrance of the alley. Tobias barely registered Tris leaning him against the side of the car and opening the door. He felt his knees began to buckle but then she was there again, grasping him around the waist and helping him into the car, closing the door.

Tobias leaned back against the soft leather head rest, his entire body throbbing in pain. The quiet dark of the car was soothing, almost unreal after the horror he’d just witnessed. The opposite door opened, and Tris slid in the driver’s seat. She turned to him, laying a cool hand on his cheek. “It’s okay, Tobias. I promise everything will be okay.”

He glanced at her, her face pale in the yellow glow of the streetlight. In that moment, he realized Tris was no longer human. “Tris,” he started but she shook her head.

“We’ll talk later, Tobias. Let me get you somewhere safe first.” Her eyes glowed for a moment and her voice took on a hypnotic quality. “Just sleep. You’re safe.”

Tobias felt like he could barely keep his eyes open as a feeling of lassitude descended over him. He closed his eyes, his body going limp. Tris sighed as she watched him succumb to her glamour-induced sleep. She knew he’d realized what she was, and a deep feeling of dread wormed her way into her heart. She sighed. The time for the truth had come.

 


	28. Tris' New Fears (M)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wondered what Tris' fears would be after the Allegiant movie. How would they change? Here is what I came up with!

Uriah shifted his weight from one leg to the other, running his fingers over the syringe in his hand. “I don’t know about this, Tris,” he said nervously. “I don’t think anyone has used this stuff since the war.”

“I need to do this, Uriah. Please. It’s important to me.” Tris stared into Uriah’s eyes, not blinking, until he sighed.

“Okay but Four’s gonna blow a gasket.” He muttered as he turned to the computer to set the program.

Tris shrugged as she settled herself in the chair, placing the probes in their places on her temples. She looked around the fear landscape room, remembering her first time in this room. Then, as now, her heart was racing, fear making her jumpy. Back then, it had been fear of the unknown, of what the fear landscape would tell her. She felt that same trepidation now. What would the landscape tell her now that many of her fears had come true? Most of her fears had been about being powerless, losing control, losing her loved ones. She had now been in those positions and while she wasn’t sure she had actually gotten over them, she wondered if it would be easier to face them now. Tobias had told her it wasn’t about getting over a fear but being able to act in spite of them.

Her lips curved slightly as she thought of Tobias. During her first fear landscape, at least part of her nervousness had come from her proximity to the man she’d just begun to realize fascinated her. When he appeared in her fear landscape weeks later, it had both terrified and, if she was totally honest with herself, intrigued her. The thought of being intimate with him was one she had not dared to consciously think about until the landscape brought it into the open. She was positive Tobias wouldn’t show up in her fears. She no longer worried about making love with Tobias - it was now her favorite past time - and she knew, without a doubt, that he loved her. He’d proved it often enough.

When Uriah turned back to her, syringe in hand, worried look still firmly stamped on his face, Tris grinned at him. “Be brave, Uriah,” she said, deepening her voice to imitate Tobias’.

“Oh shut up, Tris,” he grumbled as he plunged the syringe into her neck. “He’s gonna fucking kill me.”

The vast muddy marsh lay in front of her. Tris knew now that there was still water in the lake, it was just much further away than it had been before the eugenics war. The mud seeped over Tris’ boots as she tried to gain leverage. As before, she was tied to a post, the city behind her. A piercing bird’s cry echoed overhead and Tris looked up, dread in the put of her stomach as she saw the crows circling overhead. She wasn’t surprised that this was still a part of her fear landscape. Being powerless, held against her will, was still something she knew she dreaded.

The first peck against her arm was a sharp prick, setting her nerves even further on edge. More birds descended, pecking at her hair, her clothes, the exposed areas of her skin. Tris took deep breaths to calm herself, to push past the fear as she twisted, fraying the rope around her wrists. She pulled them apart and raised her arms to bat away the birds. She closed her eyes, imagining storm clouds, and laughed a little when a pelting rain began to fall. Tris raised her face to the water, laughing lightly as it showered down on her.

Her laughter faded, however, as the marsh faded and she found herself in a glass box, water flowing at a steady rate over her feet. She gasped a little, looking out of the box and seeing her friends, alive and dead, standing around, watching her. She sighed as she watched Tobias throw his arm over Christina’s shoulders as Christina laughed and pointed at her. Zeke and Uriah, Tori, Lynn, Marlene, Cara, Caleb, Shauna, all stood around, watching her and laughing. Tris stood paralyzed, watching as her friends, her adopted family, stood on the other side, partying without her. Laughing while she drowned.

The feel of cold water engulfing her chest shocked Tris out of her stupor. She shook her head lightly, pressing her hands against the glass, knowing she could break it. She balled her fist and punched through the glass, shattering it. As it fell around her, the water rushing out, her friends standing and watching her.

“What the fuck, stiff?” Tris turned slowly to see Peter striding towards her. His face was twisted into a sneer as he held a small touchpad in his hand. “Why can’t you just stay dead?” He pressed the pad and to Tris’ horror, orange gas began seeping into the room from the darkness around her.

“No!” She screamed as she whirled around, watching her friends gasp for breath, clutching their throats. She turned again and charged Peter. Lowering her shoulders, she rammed into him full force. Peter fell, Tris on top of him. They hit the ground with a bone-jarring thud as Peter slammed his fist into her side. Tris cried out but didn’t lose her grip on him. Peter tried to flip them but Tris locked her legs around his waist, rearing up to punch him in the face. He lifted his hands, blocking a blow with one forearm and the other hand landed a punch to her jaw. Tris shook off the blow and managed to get her hands around Peter’s neck. She squeezed, enjoying watching him gasp for breath. Hatred welled inside her as squeezed so raw it actually frightened her. She felt like a fog cleared as she slowly removed her hands from around his neck. Her chest heaved as she drew in breath to calm herself. Tris stood slowly and backed away from him. “You’re not worth it,” she whispered. Too many people had died at Tris’ hands and while she knew she could kill him, she also knew she wouldn’t.

Tris stood slowly, backing away from him and staring down at Peter, who looked up at her pathetically. She turned and her heart stopped as she saw her friends laying prone on the ground. Running towards them, she reached Tobias first. Falling to her knees next to him, she pulled him into her arms. “Tobias!” She cried out, his head in her lap. She ran her hand over his face and his eyes opened. “Tobias, thank God!”

He blinked at her. “Who are you?” He whispered. Tris’ eyes widened and she looked frantically around the room, noticing her friends all sitting up and looking around, confused.

“NO!” Tris stood up and imagined a huge fan, sucking all of the noxious orange gas out of the room. She closed her eyes and concentrated, imagining the gas dissipating from the room, clearing the air. She could hear people murmuring, “Hey, what happened? Where’s Tris?” Tris smiled and opened her eyes.

Rather than being in the black room with her friends, Tris opened her eyes to find herself sitting in the airship next to David. He glanced over at her. “We’re nearly there. Now that we’ve secured funding, we must discuss our next step.”

Frowning, Tris stared at him. “What are you talking about? I’m not helping you. You lied to me.”

David laughed lightly but didn’t answer as he landed the airship on the pad. Pressing a button, the doors rose and Tris climbed out, her heart sinking as Matthew walked towards them.

“It’s done, yes?” David asked as he strode to intercept Matthew.

Matthew nodded, his blue eyes meeting Tris’ sorrowfully. “I’m sorry, Tris. It had to be done.”

“What? What had to be done?” Tris whispered, terror clogging her throat. She looked over his shoulder to see a body laying on a dais in the middle of David’s office. David was standing next to it, a pleased smile on his face as he stared at the body in front of him. Tris wondered if she was going to pass out as the rest of the room around her faded and all she could see was the black clad body. She moved slowly towards it and looked down, nausea rising. His incredible dark blue eyes were open wide, staring into nothing. His handsome face was covered with scratches and bruises, his full lips parted, blood trailing down from edge of his mouth. Tris’ breath stopped as her eyes looked down the length of the lean, muscular body she’d worshiped so often with her hands and lips, now broken and bruised. Blood pooled beneath his body, dripping from the table to the floor. She looked down as a dark red drop of blood splashed onto her white shoe.

She looked up from her shoe to rest once again on Tobias’ face, now still in death. The realization that he was gone made her scream. And scream. Tris squeezed her eyes shut, the sound of her own voice echoing in her ears as she felt every cell in her body shut down.

Gasping, Tris wrenched her eyes open. The sterile, white walls of the fear landscape room stared back at her, soothing her. Her chest was heaving and she became aware of the cold sweat filming her body. Tris closed her eyes a moment, trying to slow her wildly beating heart. She felt the probes being removed and she looked up, expecting to see Uriah but instead meeting Tobias’ grim expression.

“Tobias,” she whispered, her voice breaking with a sob.

“I’m here,” he murmured perching on the edge of the chair and pulling her into his arms. Tris buried her face in his chest, sobbing, clutching his warm body to her. He held her tightly, rocking her, his lips pressed to the top of her head. He wanted to rail at her, shake her, demand to know what the hell she thought she was doing but listening to her heart-wrenching cried, Tobias could do nothing but cradle her to his chest, whispering soothing words. The steady beat of his heart in her ear calmed her and reassured Tris that he really was holding her.

Once her body stopped trembling, Tris raised her head to stare at him. She raised her hands, cupping his beloved face in her hands and she pulled his head down to hers, kissing him fiercely. Tobias hesitated for a moment, then kissed her back, their tongues dueling for dominance. Tris scrambled into his lap, straddling him, her lips never leaving his. Tobias ran his hands up and down her back before grasping her hips and pulling her tightly against him. Running her fingers through his hair, Tris ground her hips down on him over and over, inflaming them both as they kissed. Tobias’ hands slipped under her shirt, his fingers clutching at the soft, bare skin of her waist. Tris rolled her hips against him again and Tobias finally wrenched his mouth from hers.

Breathing heavily, Tobias pushed her hair away from her damp face. “We can’t do this here,” he gasped.

Tris sat back, taking a moment to calm her breathing as she nodded. “No, you’re right.” She closed her eyes for a second and pressed her forehead to his, her hands cupping his cheeks. She just needed a moment to absorb his warmth, his strength before she pushed back and slid off his lap. Tobias stood, and Tris had to suppress the hysterical urge to laugh as she saw him adjust himself in his pants. She felt her heart rate slow to normal. He was here, alive, and he wanted her as much as she wanted him. She looked up, staring at him, drinking in his familiar features, treasuring every one of them. “I love you.”

His stern expression softened a little and he reached for her hand, tangling their fingers together. “I love you, too, but we have to talk about this. What the hell were you thinking, Tris?” His voice was soft but Tris heard the anger, confusion and fear underneath it.

She shook her head. “Can we go home, please? I promise we’ll talk about it but not now.” She stepped closer to him, pressing her body to his, her hand still entwined with his. “I need you now.”

Tobias searched her eyes, seeing the lust, terror, love, fear, all warring in the icy blue. He took a deep breath, knowing that pushing her on this would only make her shut down. Right now, she needed comforting and tenderness. He nodded slowly. “Okay, let’s go home.”

He led her out of the room and they walked down the hallway in silence. The reached the main hall and, rather than heading to the elevators where they would most likely run into people, they turned left towards the back stairway. They climbed up to the leadership apartments where they’d moved when they returned to Dauntless from the Bureau. There were two apartments per floor for the council and the entire top floor of the building belonged to the overall leader of Dauntless, Harrison.

They reached their door, Tobias touching his finger to the small lock pad next to the door and the click opening the lock sounded loud in the silence of the hallway. He flipped the light on and Tris closed it behind them. The apartment was ridiculously large compared to Abnegation standards, with its three bedrooms and two baths. Tobias didn’t stop in their living/dining room combo, instead continued down their hall to the master bedroom and flipped on the light. Their bedroom was large, dominated by the king sized bed that came with the apartment. It had seemed like an unnecessary luxury at first but now, Tris and Tobias were addicted to the extra space.

Tobias turned to Tris and ran his hands up and down her arms. “Do you want a shower? Or maybe a bath?”

The sweat on her body had dried and now Tris felt sticky and gross. “Yeah, a shower would be great, actually.” She looked up at him, placing her hands on his chest. “Why don’t you join me?”

He brushed his lips across hers gently. “Okay. I’ll be in, in a minute.”

Tris nodded, kissing him again and turned to walk into their bathroom. She flipped the light on and turned the shower on high, letting the water warm. Pulling her shirt over her head, Tris caught sight of herself in the mirror over the double sinks. Her skin was still pale and flushed, small pieces of her hair sticking to the sides of her face. She sighed as she dropped her pants and underwear, picking up her shirt and shoving all of it into the laundry bin. She noted that it was almost full and remembered that she needed to put out the laundry in the morning for pick up. As she pulled her hair down from its ponytail, she thought about how different her life was now than in Abnegation. She hadn’t had luxuries like a laundry service, but here in Dauntless, all members laundry was washed by a communal laundry service. It was a practical solution because it served as a job for hurt or older Dauntless members and left other Dauntless free to spend more time on their jobs. She stepped into the shower and raised her face, letting the warm water flow over her face and hair. The extra large rainfall shower head seemed ridiculous to her when they’d first moved in but, as with every other amenity in Dauntless, she quickly became accustomed to it. The warm water soothed her now achy muscles. Tris hadn’t realized how tightly she’d been holding herself since she’d emerged from the fear landscape. She let her body absorb the heat and gave a contented sigh.

The door opened behind her, ushering in a blast of colder air and a warm body. Tobias slid his arms around her from behind and he pulled her against his chest. The last vestiges of stress melted away at his touch and Tris felt tears well in her eyes again. Behind her closed eyelids, she could see him dead and with a shudder, she turned to wrap herself around him. “Hold me, please. Just hold me.”

Tobias did as she asked, his hand stroking her hair. “I’m not dead, Tris.” Tris shuddered again against him and he held her tighter. “I don’t know why you went in there but it’s over now. I’m still here.”

Tris looked up and lifted herself onto her toes. She urged him down to her lips, kissing him deeply. Tobias ran his hands lightly up and down her back as his lips trailed from hers across her cheek, down her throat. She let her head fall back, the water flowing through her hair as he kissed, licked and sucked her skin. She let out a deep sound of pleasure, running her own fingers through his dark hair. Urging him back up, she took his mouth again as her own hands moved over him, delighting in the taut strength of his muscles. Her hands wandered across his back, feeling the slight ridges of the scars that criss-crossed his skin, until she reached his behind and she squeezed. He chuckled a little against her lips as he stirred against her stomach. Soft kisses turned harder, gentle hands turned greedy, and the already steamy shower grew even headier.

Tobias grabbed Tris around her waist, hauling her up into his arms and pressed her against the wall of the shower. They stared at each other, Tobias searching her face to determine how ready she was. Smiling, she wrapped her legs around him. “Now, Tobias, please now.” Without any further urging, Tobias pushed himself inside her, loving the way her eyes went blind with pleasure and her head thudded against the shower tile. He groaned as Tris’ warm flesh accepted him, surrounded him and he began to move, slowly at first but picking up the pace. Tris urged him on with soft groans in his ear, her ankles locked around him. “More, Tobias, more,” she whispered. He moved even faster, widening his stance to give him more stability as he plunged into her.

Tris was nearly delirious, soaked in delight, her heart now pounding with lust rather than fear. That she could have ever lost this connection, this love she felt for this man, had nearly stopped her heart and she realized she didn’t know how she could live without him. Love swamped her and she leaned back slightly so she could catch his gaze. She stared into his navy blue eyes, seeing the emotions she felt reflected there. Her arms tightened around his neck as she felt herself tighten around him. “Tobias,” his name exaggerated by her moan, “I love you.” She squeezed her eyes shut as passion overtook her.

Watching her body succumb to his never failed to push Tobias over the edge. He clutched her hips, holding her to him as he released himself, riding on a wave of love and lust he could not imagine anyone else in the world inspiring in him. After a moment, they sagged against each other, Tris’ legs sliding down until she could stand, albeit wobbly, on her own two feet. They opened their eyes, smiling at each other. Tris reached up and wrung out her hair as Tobias turned off the water. “Feel better?” He asked with a grin.

“Immensely,” she said, reaching up for the towels slung over the far wall of the shower and handed one to him. “But I will say I’m exhausted.”

Tobias opened the door and stepped out so they could both dry off. Running the towel over his head, he said, “I always was when I went through my landscape like that.”

Tris wrapped her hair in another towel, drying off the excess water. “Why did you do it? Back then?”

He paused for a moment, thinking about the times he’d tortured himself. “I wanted to see if they would ever go away. I’d accomplish something in Dauntless, and I would wonder if anything would change. It didn’t but I needed to know if I could get over them.”

Wrapping her towel tighter around herself, Tris tried not to shudder. “How do you erase the images from your mind?” She asked quietly.

Tobias strode to her, lifting her chin with a finger. “You don’t,” he said softly, “but after a while, they stop hitting you quite as hard. Like with the fears themselves, you just learn to live with them. And,” he said, looking deeply into her eyes, “they help you appreciate the good times more.” He watched her take a deep breath as her hand came up to cover his. “So, you ready to talk about this now?”

She nodded. “Yeah. Let’s open some wine though. I could use the help.” Tobias smiled as he followed her into their bedroom.


	29. Crossover (T)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I know what you're thinking. An X-Files/Divergent cross over? Has CJGW lost her ever-loving mind? Well, that may be, but a cross over this is, indeed. It may never get finished but now you know how truly strange a place my mind can be.

The night air was crisp and clear, the forest alive with sounds of insects and animals, a light breeze moving gently through the leaves, making them dance. The black leopard moved through underbrush, his huge paws making absolutely no sound. The wind blew across his fur and, closing his eyes to slits, he lifted his head, enjoying the sensation. He was content; nothing pleased him as much as nightly runs through woods alive with nature.

His ears perked when he heard the sound of a vehicle which was extremely unusual for this time of night. It had turned off the nearby road and was moving inwards towards the trees, another anomaly. The leopard froze in place, his muscles taut, every sense tuned to the unnatural sounds. The vehicle – a truck, the leopard realized – stopped. His head cocked as he heard…music?

_Something in the way she moves, attracts me like no other lover_

The cat tilted his head to one side as he recognized the Beatles. He began moving quietly towards the sounds invading his nightly walk. He stopped, lifting his head as the scent in the air caught his attention. He moved quietly, stealthy, through trees he knew like the back of his hand. It was, after all, his territory. His ears were alert as he moved, listening to a door open, rustling sounds, the slam of what was most likely the tailgate, and finally, the door opening and closing again. The sound of the Beatles faded so the cat froze, blending into the darkness of the trees. His keen eyes could just make out the truck and a mound on the ground. His ears twitched when he heard the truck driving towards the road that led to the highway. If the cat had been human, he would have frowned. Why would a human dump something in his woods? He moved towards the discarded mound now that he knew the invading human was gone but stopped abruptly when his nose picked up a familiar smell. The scent of fresh blood was in the air and the cat knew it hadn’t been his kill. His nose led him right to the discarded lump and he paused when he spotted the body.

The once human figure was now a mangled mass of flesh; cuts, some deep, some shallow, littered over what was once a young woman’s body. The big cat sniffed the air, catching the lingering scent of the human who had dumped the dead body, practically on the leopard’s doorstep. A deep growl emanated from the cat’s throat. He backed away, his senses alert for anything but all he sensed around him was the settling quiet of the forest. Once he was safely enmeshed again among the trees, he turned and ran at full speed, racing towards his home.

In no time at all, he was treading on a carefully tended green carpet of grass, light glowing warmly in the windows of the modern two-story cabin. He stopped for a moment, staring as the door opened and a hugely pregnant woman appeared, the light behind her bathing her in a glow that matched the gold of her hair.

The cat felt a warm sensation engulf him from head to toe, gradually heating up to a fiery burn that he felt in his very bones. All else faded as his vision was overcome by a pure, bright white light. It was over in a second and a man now stood where the leopard had moments before. He shook his head lightly, reorienting himself as the world shifted from a cat’s perspective to a man’s. He’d done this his entire life yet there was still a moment’s confusion after every shift. Completely naked, he walked to the porch.

His wife’s welcoming smile faded a little as she took in her husband’s expression. “Tobias, what is it?” she asked, a note of trepidation in her voice.

“There’s another one,” he said, his voice slightly husky as his vocal cords adjusted to using human words again.

Tris swallowed hard, her hand drifting over to rest on her stomach, as if protecting the lives inside her. “That’s the third one in as many months,” she said. “Where was it?”

“About half a mile east,” he said hesitantly, not wanting to frighten her, but she needed to know, needed to be on her guard.

Tris shuddered. “They’re getting closer,” she said, her voice tremulous. “Do you think they know about us?”

Tobias reached out and pulled his wife into his arms, holding her as closely as her stomach would allow. She buried her face in her husband’s warm chest, barely noticing his nudity, only comforted by his warm embrace, his familiar scent. “I won’t let anyone near you,” he growled, his voice taking on the same deeply menacing quality it held in his animal form.

Tris nodded and Tobias lifted her chin with one finger. He bent his head, kissing her deeply. “Come on, I think it’s time we call in that favor from Amar. He says he knows of someone at the FBI who may be able to help.” Wrapping his arm around Tris’ shoulders, he led her into the house but he took one last sweeping look out into the trees before closing, and locking, their front door.

xXx

“Mulder, what the hell are we doing out here on a potential serial killer case? Unless there’s something you aren’t telling me, this isn’t an X-File.” Scully crossed her arms under her breasts, frowning at her partner as he pulled the car into the parking lot of the small police station. Normally, Scully would not mind a drive through the scenic Shenandoah Mountains of western Virginia, but Mulder was being, well, Mulder.

He shot her a grin, his hazel-green eyes dancing with mirth, “I’m always on the look out for a good X-File, Scully, but this time I’m here as a favor to a friend.”

Scully relaxed a little and tucked a wayward strand of her bright red hair behind her ear. “What friend?”

“Amar Elders. He actually was Bureau for a while, an FBI police officer. We were friends at WFO,” Mulder said, referring to the Washington Field office, his first office in the Bureau. “Amar left about six years ago to become sheriff here. When he called, I came to help.”

They each got out of their side of the Bureau issued Chevy, and met at the front of the car, Mulder’s hand resting on the small of Scully’s back as he led her inside. Mulder approached the duty officer, flashing his badge. “Special Agents Mulder and Scully here to see Sheriff Elders,” he said crisply.

The officer looked at the credentials, up at Mulder’s face and gave a satisfied nod. “Have a seat,” she said, reaching for the phone. Moments later, a tall, dark skinned man dressed in jeans and an Oxford shirt came out, smiling. “Mulder!”

Mulder stood and the two men shook hands, Amar slapping Mulder on the back. “Amar, it’s good to see you.” Mulder was smiling wider than Scully had seen him do in a while. It warmed her heart as he’d been a little lost at times recently, questioning his work on the X-Files, questioning his beliefs. Mulder turned towards her.

“Scully, Amar Elders. Amar, my partner, Dana Scully.”

Amar shook her hand, his large one enveloping her smaller one. “It’s a pleasure. Your reputation precedes you.”

Scully raised an eyebrow and cut a glance at her partner. “Uh-oh.” Mulder shot her an innocent who-me look.

Amar gestured, “Come on back.” He led them down the short hallway to his office in the back of the police station. “Have a seat.” Mulder and Scully sat in the matching chairs while Amar sat behind his desk. He pushed the file on the edge of his desk towards Mulder, who immediately opened it.

“Three in the last three months, which brings the total to five in nine months. All young women who disappeared in and around town. One was taken from near the university, two from our town, one from a town about ten miles away, and one was a hitchhiker. All between 18 and 25, dumped in the same lightly inhabited area. The land actually belongs to a friend of mine and he’s a little disturbed to keep finding dead bodies. His wife is pregnant so that just adds to his concern.”

Mulder nodded, handing the file over to Scully. “Has your friend found all of them?”

“No. He and his wife have owned the land a couple of years but they only moved here permanently about four months ago. They used to live up in Rockville but Tris is a high risk pregnancy so they moved here so she could be away from the stress of the city. They’re having twins.”

Scully looked at the pictures of the latest victim, a young blonde woman whose body had so many cuts, it was hard to recognize her as human. “How many stab wounds?” She asked.

“Over 50 each.” Amar glanced at Mulder who was sitting back, his eyes beginning to unfocus. Amar recognized it as Mulder’s expression of deep thought as he turned over the information he’d read in the file. He knew that in that short space of time, Mulder had committed nearly every word to memory; the curse of an eidetic memory.

Scully was still flipping through the file. “Anything unusual in the toxicology?”

Amar shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “Yeah. There were traces of sodium chloride in the wounds.”

“Table salt?” Scully asked in surprise. She glanced to Mulder who was still gazing down at one of the photos, his attention seemingly focused entirely on it.

“The homeowners aren’t suspects.” Mulder said suddenly, making it a declarative sentence rather than a question.

“No. Like I said, they’ve only been here for the last three and Tobias is extremely pissed. His big thing is that he came here so his wife can rest and now all this happens.” Amar sighed. “I have a couple of leads but I know you guys can help me put a bow on it a lot faster.”

“Who are you considering?” Scully asked.

“There are three men who are the best candidates. One lives in the town proper, the other two are on the outskirts, in the mountains.”

“Motive?”

Amar shrugged a little as he addressed Scully. “None we can find. I hope you can help with that.”

Scully glanced over at Mulder, watching as he slowly came back to himself. His ability to zone out in order to better analyze information in his head had always fascinated – and worried – her. Under her gaze, she saw his eyes focus again as he sat forward.

“The brutality of these doesn’t seem to be violence for violence’s sake.” Mulder put the picture in his hand back on Amar’s desk and looked at both Amar and Scully. “That combined with the salt makes me think he’s got a larger purpose here.” He shuffled the papers until he found an autopsy report. “The first victim seemed to have been arranged in a particular fashion. The salt didn’t come until the third victim.” He looked up at them. “The cuts seem to be designed to expose the maximum amount of flesh.”

Frowning, Amar leaned forward. “What are you thinking?”

“What if the salt is to tenderize the meat?”

Scully raised an eyebrow. “There’s no evidence of cannibalism.”

Amar made a disgusted noise but Mulder shook his head. “No, I’m not thinking that. What if he’s trying to draw something out of the woods? An animal or something? Butchering a piece of meat could be a way to draw out an alpha predator, to distract it for kill or capture.”

“You think he’s hunting something? Other than girls?” Amar asked.

Mulder sat back and nodded. “Yeah.” He glanced down at the crime scene photos again. “And there’s something about this place he’s clearly drawn to.” Mulder caught Amar’s eye. “Can we meet the homeowners? I want to see the scene.”

Amar nodded. “Let me make a call. Why don’t you guys go get checked into the hotel and I’ll arrange a time with Tobias?”

Mulder nodded as he and Scully rose. “Sounds good.”

 


	30. Christina Gets Attacked (T)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fits into an abandoned story where the medical clinic where Tris and Christina worked was under threat from a domestic terrorist who had been stalking and attacking employees of the clinic. In this little snippet, I wanted to give Christina a chance to kick a little ass.

Uriah followed Christina out to her car. Christina smiled at him as she opened the door and threw her bag inside. “Thanks for the escort.”

Uriah grinned at her. “Sure thing. You and Will have a good time tonight.”

“We will!” She got in the car, closing the door and locking it. She waited until Uriah went back into the clinic with a last wave goodbye. Christina turned on the car and hit the Bluetooth button so she could call and tell Will she was on her way. She frowned when the phone didn’t connect. Grabbing her bag, she rifled through it looking for the phone. She sat back for a moment, puzzled, then groaned when she remembered she’d taken it into Edward’s office to charge as she’d left her charger at home. There was no choice; she was going to have to go back into the building. 

Christina looked around the darkened alley, trying to spot anything amiss. The alley seemed empty so she was pretty sure she could make it to the door and inside the clinic with no problem. Fishing out her keys, she put her bag on the floor, figuring she’d be more nimble the less she had to carry. She pulled out her keys and cautiously got out of the car. Walking quickly to the door, she let out a sigh of relief when she reached it. She started to put her key in the lock and gasped as her hair was viciously yanked backward. Before she could scream, an arm clamped around her throat, cutting off her air supply, and another banded around her torso.

“Now, listen to me, bitch,” the low voice growled in her ear, his iron hold keeping her struggling down to a minimum, “you’re not gonna make a sound. You’re gonna open that door, nice and easy, and we’re gonna go inside. You’re gonna do exactly as I tell you or I’m gonna gut you. Got that?” Against her side, Christina felt a sharp poke and realized her attacker held a knife.

Christina managed to nod while her head raced. She estimated the height difference between them and prayed that her idea would work. She sagged against him, letting her body go limp as though she’d given up fight. As she hoped, his grip loosened to allow her to reach out for the lock. Counting silently in her head, she unlocked the door. She started to move forward as if to open the door but instead, rammed her elbow straight into his solar plexus while simultaneously slamming her heeled boot down on his foot. The man gasped and the knife fell to the ground, allowing her time to whirl around and bring her knee up hard into his crotch. When he staggered back, Christina ran inside, slamming the clinic door behind her and throwing the deadbolt. She jammed her hand against the panic button on the alarm and leaned against the door in relief with her eyes closed, breathing heavily. 

Lynn and Uriah came running to her, each with a gun in their hand. Uriah leaned over Christina. “Chris. Hey, Chris, what happened, are you okay?”

Lynn activated the screen for the outside security camera. “Hey, there’s a guy on the ground.”

Cristina nodded. “He grabbed me. Wanted in. Careful he had a knife.” She gasped out, trying to catch her breath.

“Stay here. Call the cops.” Lynn ordered. She looked at Uriah and then opened the door. They went out together, their guns trained on the prone figure on the ground. Lynn bent and picked up the knife while Uriah pushed the guy onto his stomach with his boot and yanked a zip tie out of his back pocket, securing his hands behind him. He backed off, he and Lynn still standing over him with their guns trained on him. Christina cautiously opened the door a crack. 

“Cops are on their way.”

Lynn nodded. “Okay, thanks.” She shot Christina a grin over her shoulder. “Great work, by the way.”

Christina grinned weakly. “I paid attention.”


End file.
